How Americans’ views of data centers have changed in 2026
% of U.S. adults who say data centers are __ for each of the following things
| Mostly bad | Neither good nor bad | Mostly good | Not sure | Have not heard of data centers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The environment | |||||
| Aug 2026 | 54 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 39 | 14 | 4 | 17 | 25 |
| Home energy costs | |||||
| Aug 2026 | 50 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 38 | 10 | 6 | 21 | 25 |
| People’s quality of life nearby | |||||
| Aug 2026 | 49 | 13 | 4 | 21 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 30 | 17 | 6 | 22 | 25 |
| Local jobs | |||||
| Aug 2026 | 24 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 15 | 17 | 25 | 17 | 25 |
| Local tax revenue | |||||
| Aug 2026 | 21 | 12 | 22 | 32 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 12 | 12 | 23 | 27 | 25 |
Note: Respondents who did not answer are not shown.
Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 20-Aug. 9, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
