Most Americans would rather live near a nuclear plant than a data center

A new Gallup survey shows that opposition to data centers in the United States has reached a striking level. Seven out of ten Americans now oppose having a data center built near their home. Nearly half of those respondents say they strongly oppose such projects. Tim Craig reports for The Washington Post that more Americans would rather live next to a nuclear power plant than near a data center built to support artificial intelligence.

The poll, which surveyed 1,000 Americans, marks the first time Gallup has asked the public about data centers. It closely matches other recent surveys, including a Washington Post and Schar School poll of Virginia voters from April. That poll found 59 percent of respondents opposed a data center in their area, a sharp rise from fewer than one in four Virginia voters who held that view in 2023.

Energy costs and environmental concerns drive opposition

Opposition crosses party lines, though it is strongest among Democrats. Fifty-six percent of Democrats strongly oppose data centers in their communities, compared with 39 percent of Republicans. Nearly half of independents also said they were strongly opposed.

Gallup identified several reasons behind the resistance:

• Seventy percent of respondents worry about environmental impacts.
• About half of opponents specifically cited excessive use of resources such as water.
• Around one in five worry about effects on local quality of life.
• A similar share fear rising utility bills.

The political consequences are already visible. In Archbald, Pennsylvania, public opposition to plans for seven data center campuses was so intense that most town council members were forced to resign and replaced by data center opponents. Several communities have imposed moratoriums on large data center construction.

Gallup warns that the findings represent “a major hurdle in the expansion of AI computing” and predicts that proposed projects will increasingly trigger grassroots activism and legal challenges. Despite the pushback, President Donald Trump and major technology company leaders continue to argue that data centers are essential to keeping the United States competitive with China in artificial intelligence development.