Researchdata centersenergy efficiencypublic opinioncommunity impact
Americans See Data Centers Producing Mixed Impacts
8.3
Pew Research Center surveyed 8,512 U.S. adults Jan. 20–26, 2026 and found three-quarters have heard of data centers. Respondents are more likely to view data centers as mostly bad for the environment (39%), home energy costs (38%) and nearby quality of life (30%), while more see them as mostly good for local jobs (25%) and tax revenue (23%).
Key Points
- 1Report finds 75% of U.S. adults have heard of data centers
- 2Shows majorities view environmental and energy effects negatively (39% and 38% say mostly bad)
- 3Advises practitioners to engage communities and mitigate energy and quality-of-life concerns
Scoring Rationale
High credibility and broad national scope; limited novelty because it reports public opinion rather than new technical advances.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
Practice interview problems based on real data
1,625 SQL & Python problems across 15 industry datasets — the exact type of data you work with.
Try 250 free problems
