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Published on 8/21/2026

Data center opposition surged from 42 to 75 percent in just one year, survey finds

the-decoder.com · ai-productivity-automation · Risks, Governance & Compliance

Data center opposition surged from 42 to 75 percent in just one year, survey finds

Insight summary

  • 75 percent of Americans now oppose building data centers near them, up from 42 percent a year ago.
  • 61 percent of respondents are strongly opposed to nearby data center construction.
  • Opposition shifted from nearly even support and opposition to a clear majority against within one year.
  • Survey results align with a May Gallup poll reporting 71 percent opposition and 48 percent strong opposition.
  • Data centers have become a significant campaign issue surpassing topics like racism and Israel.
  • Main concerns include local power costs, water consumption, and land use related to data centers.
  • The survey included political and urban-rural demographic breakdowns in the full report.

Content details

Industry
ai-productivity-automation
Topic
Risks, Governance & Compliance
Source
the-decoder.com
Language
en
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