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A Gallup poll conducted in March 2026 found that 71% of American adults oppose building an AI data center near their home, with 48% saying they are strongly opposed.
For historical context, public opposition to nuclear power plants peaked at 63% during the height of anti-nuclear sentiment. Opposition to AI data centers sat somewhere between 42% and 47% in late 2025. By March 2026, Gallup had it at 71%. A separate May 2026 Heatmap Pro poll confirmed the figure, also recording 71% opposition, but with an even sharper edge: 55% of respondents in that survey said they were strongly opposed.
Around half of data center opponents cite electricity and water consumption as their primary grievances. The rest of the opposition cohort points to noise, pollution, and the prospect of higher utility bills.
Gallup found that between 63% and 75% of both Republicans and Democrats oppose local data center construction.
In the first quarter of 2026 alone, community and legislative actions blocked or delayed more than 75 data center initiatives, representing over $130 billion in planned investment.
Roughly 300 state-level bills targeting data center regulation were introduced in the first half of 2026. New York’s governor signed an executive order in July 2026 pausing new hyperscale data center permits for a year. California and other states are advancing their own regulatory frameworks.
Between 64% and 79% of poll respondents, depending on the survey, said they prefer a slower, more cautious approach to data center construction that accounts for local and environmental impacts.
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