Seven in 10 Americans say they oppose building data centers where they live, according to Gallup, underscoring how politically toxic the projects have become.
Data centers are disliked across the ideological spectrum and acutely unpopular among Democrats, 56% of whom say they strongly oppose the projects.
Half of those opponents cite the centers’ drain on resources — including water and energy usage and environmental impacts — as a reason for opposing them, while 22% raise quality-of-life concerns and one in five point to higher costs. Most of those who favor building data centers cite economic benefits like job creation as a reason.
The numbers help explain why the projects have become a scapegoat for members of both parties, as energy prices continue to rise — and why tech companies are searching for ways to make them more attractive.