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54% of Americans now say data centres are mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January

Pew's survey found views had turned more negative on energy costs and local quality of life too, and 60% would be uncomfortable with a new data centre nearby.

Catching up: the original came out on . This story was published later, when the site opened.

Grade One Newsroom · 1 min read

Sources: 1 · top grade 2How evidence is graded

54%

of US adults say data centres are mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January

Grade 2 · Published method

Source: Pew Research Center

What changed
In Pew's survey of July and August 2026, 54% of US adults said data centres are mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January.
Who it counts
A survey of 10,548 US adults from 20 July to 9 August 2026, members of Pew's American Trends Panel, compared with its January survey.
What it does not tell you
What data centres actually do to the environment, costs or jobs. It measures opinion, and 12% had not heard of data centres.

The full story Check the source

More than half of US adults, 54%, now say data centres are mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January, Pew Research Center reported on 22 September [1].

Half said they are mostly bad for home energy costs, up from 38%, and 49% said they are mostly bad for the quality of life of people nearby, up from 30% [1].

Six in ten, 60%, said they would be not too or not at all comfortable with a new data centre operating in their area [1].

What it measures

The opinions of 10,548 US adults surveyed from 20 July to 9 August 2026, all members of Pew's American Trends Panel, compared with its survey in January [1].

Just 4% said data centres have a mostly good impact in each of the three areas above [1].

Views on local jobs and tax revenue were mixed, with between 21% and 24% saying mostly good and mostly bad. The share saying mostly bad for local jobs rose from 15% to 24% [1].

What it does not tell you

What data centres actually do to the environment, energy bills or jobs. The survey measures what people think [1].

Many people had no settled view: between 18% and 32% were unsure about each effect, and 12% said they had not heard of data centres [1].

Sources and their grades

  1. Pew Research Center, Americans' views of data centers have turned more negative. Read 29 September 2026. Grade 2 · Published method Published 22 September 2026. Method and sample published with the report.

A grade says how much weight a source will take, from 1 (a body that can compel an answer and has nothing to sell) to 5 (somebody describing what they sell, or themselves). The standard sets out what each grade may be used for.

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