Pew Survey Finds Negative Views of Data Centers' Impacts

A new survey reveals that Americans hold largely negative views of data centers' effects on the environment, home energy costs and local quality of life, even as they see potential economic benefits in jobs and tax revenue. Conducted by the Pew Research Center in late January 2026 among 8,512 U.S. adults, the poll marks the first major assessment of public attitudes toward the sprawling facilities that power artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The survey found that 39 percent of respondents believe data centers are mostly bad for the environment, compared with just 4 percent who view them as mostly good. Similarly, 38 percent said the facilities harm home energy costs, versus 6 percent who see a positive impact. On quality of life for nearby residents, 30 percent expressed negative opinions, while only 6 percent were positive. In contrast, more Americans anticipated benefits for the economy: 25 percent said data centers are mostly good for local jobs, outweighing the 15 percent who saw them as harmful, and 23 percent viewed them favorably for local tax revenue, against 12 percent who did not.

Uncertainty remains widespread, with at least one in five respondents unsure...