How Americans view data centers’ impact in key areas, from the environment to jobs

A broad majority of Americans have heard about data centers – the often-sprawling computing facilities that are popping up nationwide. But the public has mixed opinions about data centers’ impact in various areas, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Attitudes are more negative than positive when it comes to these facilities’ impact on the environment, home energy costs and people’s quality of life nearby. In turn, larger shares of Americans view their economic effects as mostly positive than negative. Among the key findings: 

• Three-quarters of Americans say they’ve heard or read a lot (25%) or a little (50%) about data centers. The remaining 25% say they have heard nothing at all about them.
• More Americans say data centers have a negative effect on the environment, home energy costs and people’s quality of life nearby than say they have a positive effect. Far more say data centers are mostly bad than good for the environment (39% vs. 4%), home energy costs (38% vs. 6%) and the quality of life for those nearby (30% vs. 6%).
• In contrast, Americans are more likely to see positive than negative effects on local jobs and local tax revenue. More adults say data centers are mostly good than bad for local jobs (25% vs. 15%) and local tax revenue (23% vs. 12%). Still, Americans are less likely to express positive views of data centers’ impact in these areas than to express negative views of their effects on the environment, energy costs and people’s quality of life nearby.
• For many Americans, the jury’s still out. Around one-in-five Americans or more say they aren’t sure of data centers’ impact in each of the five areas we asked about. Others say these facilities have neither a positive nor negative impact in each area or haven’t heard about data centers at all.