Poll shows 71% of Americans oppose nearby data centers, but opposition may be plateauing

A new survey finds Americans' opposition to data center construction remains extremely high at 71%, though it represents a possible leveling-off of what had been one of the sharpest shifts in public sentiment in recent years.

First covered Oct 26, 2026 · 4:35 PM PT · 1 article · no longer in the live window

Poll shows 71% of Americans oppose nearby data centers, but opposition may be plateauing — Image via heatmap.news

Coverage

15d Heatmap News Exclusive: Americans’ Opposition to Data Centers Has Finally Plateaued — The American public’s dislike for data centers may finally be starting to plateau and even decline, albeit at staggeringly high levels, a new poll finds.

More coverage from around the web

cnn.com Americans are rallying against data centers. Surprisingly few are actually getting built

kunc.org Surveys: Over 60% oppose data centers in their communities

news.gallup.com Americans Oppose AI Data Centers in Their Area

theconversation.com Across the US, people don’t want data centers coming to their communities

stardem.com Anxious about AI: Polls show Americans oppose data centers, have fears about machine learning

Appeared in: 2026-10-27 (#18)

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