Almost 50% of Americans don’t want data centers in their neighborhoods, according to a new poll that shows sharp generational and political divide
Nearly one in two Americans would rather not live near an artificial intelligence (AI) data center, according to a new Redfin-commissioned survey that highlights mounting “not in my backyard” tensions just as cities look to accommodate both housing growth and the infrastructure needed to power AI.
The poll, conducted by Ipsos in November 2025 and released May 4 by Redfin, found that 47% of US residents oppose the construction of an AI data center in their neighborhood, while just 38% said they would support one.
The survey showed that support for nearby AI data centers skews by generation. Gen Z and millennial respondents were much more likely than older Americans to back a facility in their own “backyard”, according to Redfin: 48% of Gen Zers and 50% of millennials said they support a local data center, compared with 38% of Gen X and just 22% of baby boomers.
A political divide also showed itself. Roughly half (49%) of Republicans said they would support a data center in their neighborhood, versus 36% of Democrats.
Data centers get more pushback than apartments
Redfin’s survey suggests AI data centers may now be even less welcome in many communities than new multifamily housing.
Americans in the poll were more likely to oppose a nearby data center than any other building type included in the survey. Nearly half (47%) said they oppose construction of a data center near their home. By comparison, almost as many respondents (46%) opposed converting single‑family houses into smaller multi‑unit dwellings to expand housing supply, 37% opposed a new apartment complex, and 31% opposed a new mixed‑use development in their neighborhood.
Skepticism about data centers was fueled by a mix of environmental and quality-of-life concerns.
The US already has more than 3,000 AI data centers, with thousands more in development as demand for AI computing surges. Critics say these facilities can strain local electricity grids and water supplies, contributing to higher energy costs, environmental worries and disruptions in nearby neighborhoods from noise and large industrial structures.
Those worries are particularly acute in communities that feel they’re being asked to bear the costs without sharing fully in the upside.
“A lot of local residents are frustrated about the surge in data centers in our community,” said Hazel Shakur, a Redfin Premier agent who focuses on Prince George’s County, Md., which already hosts several large facilities and has another planned at the site of a former mall. She said residents question whether officials are trading “long-term community vision and quality of life” for projects that may not obviously benefit local households.
At the same time, the report notes that AI data centers can create well‑paying jobs in areas such as information technology and security, support local construction employment and spur investment in energy and water infrastructure – potential lifelines for struggling regions seeking new economic anchors.
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