# What Americans weigh when a data center comes to town

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/ai/what-americans-weigh-when-a-data-center-comes-to-town/
Published: 2026-06-21

> Featured topic in AI & Tech.

Asked to imagine a data center proposed in their community, 58.8% point to higher energy or water prices and 50.4% to environmental harm, and 40.1% say they would sign a petition to oppose it.

## Overview: A skeptical welcome for the AI buildout

The data-center buildout behind the AI boom meets a skeptical public at the local level. When residents picture one proposed nearby, cost and environmental worries dominate, and concrete benefits like jobs and tax revenue draw far less attention.

That skepticism translates into a willingness to act. Opposition far outweighs support, and only a minority say they would do nothing at all.

## Costs and the environment top the list

58.8% say higher energy or water prices would be on their mind, and 50.4% cite negative environmental effects such as pollution.

Local benefits register with fewer people: 27.1% mention more jobs for the community and 26.7% more tax revenue.

## AI itself drives much of the unease

43.7% point to job losses from AI or automation, and 36.5% say a data center would mean AI changing society for the worse.

Only 13.6% associate it with AI changing society for the better.

## Most would push back

40.1% say they would sign a petition opposing the project, 27.9% would contact a local official to oppose it, and 25.5% would speak against it at a local meeting; 20.4% would attend a protest.

Support is rare: 9.5% would contact an official in favor and 8.9% would speak up to support it. 37.5% would take no action.

## Supporting evidence

### 58.8% would weigh higher energy or water prices.

Question: If a company proposed building a new data center in your community, and you were considering whether or not to support it, which of the following would you think about? (Check all the apply)

Note: 58.8% would think about higher energy or water prices when weighing a local data center, and 50.4% about negative environmental effects.

Topline:

- Higher energy or water prices: 58.8%
- Negative environmental effects, such as pollution: 50.4%
- Job losses from AI or automation: 43.7%
- AI changing society for the worst: 36.5%
- More jobs for the local community: 27.1%

### 40.1% would sign a petition opposing a local data center.

Question: If a new data center were proposed in your community, which of the following would you consider doing?

Note: 40.1% would sign a petition opposing a proposed data center, against fewer than one in ten who would act in support.

Topline:

- Sign a petition opposing the project: 40.1%
- Take no action: 37.5%
- Contact a local official to oppose the project: 27.9%
- Publicly oppose the project at a local meeting: 25.5%
- Attend a protest to oppose the project: 20.4%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-06-21 → 2026-06-21
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.2%
- Module: 3
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [If a company proposed building a new data center in your community, and you were considering whether or not to support it, which of the following would you think about? (Check all the apply)](https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-4): reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26: 58.8% would think about higher energy or water prices when weighing a local data center, and 50.4% about negative environmental effects.
- [If a new data center were proposed in your community, which of the following would you consider doing?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-3): reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26: 40.1% would sign a petition opposing a proposed data center, against fewer than one in ten who would act in support.

## Citation

Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2026-050, fielded June 21-21, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-4](https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-4)