Data Center Opposition Grows Among Americans Who Don't Live Near One

Americans increasingly view data centers as symbols of an AI-driven future they're uncertain about, according to new polling that reveals a paradox: most people opposing these facilities don't actually live near one.

Milltown Partners, a consulting firm working with AI labs and tech startups, found that only 8% of data center opponents report knowing of facilities near their homes. Yet opposition is spreading, with 49% of registered voters supporting a temporary construction moratorium compared to just 16% who oppose such a pause.

Why it matters

The disconnect between proximity and opposition suggests data centers have become a lightning rod for broader economic anxiety about artificial intelligence—concerns about job displacement, resource consumption, and who profits from the technology. This sentiment could shape regulatory battles and infrastructure planning as AI companies race to expand computing capacity.

A Public Divided on the Buildout

The polling, conducted among 6,872 registered voters between May 10 and May 20, shows Americans remain split on data centers themselves. When asked about a facility being built near their home, 38% would support it while 34% would oppose it.

The gap between direct opposition (34%) and support for a moratorium (49%) indicates many voters aren't categorically against data centers but want to slow the pace of development. A temporary pause could force companies and policymakers to address questions about costs, water usage, and community benefits before construction continues.

Milltown Partners researcher Tom Brookes noted the timing is significant: "This isn't happening in a vacuum. The AI transformation is arriving at a time when Americans already feel angry, insecure and pessimistic."

Political Pressure from Both Sides

The backlash crosses partisan lines. Both Steve Bannon on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left have criticized AI as threatening working people. Warnings from tech leaders themselves about potential mass job losses are providing ammunition for critics.

Andy Hall, a professor at Stanford's graduate school of business and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, warned on X that if unemployment rises by two percentage points and people attribute it to AI, "we will see a real populist backlash."

The Automation Paradox

The controversy arrives as companies face labor shortages for data center operations. Zhou Xian, co-founder and CEO of Genesis AI, told the publication his company aims to fill staffing gaps with general-purpose robots designed to navigate complex data center environments—potentially reinforcing concerns about AI eliminating jobs even as it creates infrastructure demands.

Pew Research Center found similar patterns in April polling, confirming that proximity to data centers has little effect on Americans' views. Notably, two-thirds of planned data centers are in rural areas, even though 87% of existing facilities are in urban locations.

The survey oversampled voters in Texas, Georgia, Michigan, California, and North Carolina—states with active data center projects. The margin of error is three percentage points.

These findings were first reported by Axios, which obtained the Milltown Partners polling data.