May 14, 2026
Server farm? More like fear farm
7 in 10 Americans oppose data centers being built in their communities
Americans are saying “not in my backyard” to giant server farms — and the comments are brutal
TLDR: A new poll found 7 in 10 Americans don’t want data centers built near them, and opposition is so strong that some would rather live by a nuclear plant. In the comments, people fought over whether these projects are noisy, ugly resource hogs or job-creating growth engines — with plenty of jokes about bipartisan NIMBY panic.
America has apparently found its latest neighborhood villain, and it’s not a nightclub, a highway, or even a landfill — it’s the humble data center. A new Gallup survey says 7 in 10 Americans would oppose one being built near their homes, with nearly half saying they’d strongly oppose it. The wildest twist? More people said they’d rather live near a nuclear power plant than one of these giant buildings full of computers powering the artificial intelligence boom. Yes, the giant humming box has become the new local menace.
And the comments? Pure small-town council-meeting chaos. One camp treated data centers like the second coming of fracking, warning about noise, water use, pollution, and ugly buildings. SilverElfin basically summed up the angriest mood: why should locals put up with the downsides when they don’t get a slice of Big Tech riches? Another commenter delivered the accidental flex of the thread, joking that living somewhere with insanely expensive land suddenly has “benefits” because maybe no one can build there.
But not everyone was ready to grab a pitchfork. IFC_LLC pushed the pro-growth argument hard, saying people are vilifying something that could bring jobs and major development — if investors also pay for power and water upgrades. Then came the meme-energy: “Those damn NIMBYs blocking progress again! /s” and the line that probably won the thread: “Finally something that unites the right and the left.” In other words, in a divided America, giant server farms may have achieved the impossible: bipartisan neighborhood panic.
Key Points
- •A Gallup survey found that 70% of Americans oppose a data center being built in their community.
- •The poll was conducted in spring 2026 and released on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
- •Both Republicans and Democrats are uncomfortable living near a data center, according to the article.
- •The article says opposition is especially intense among Democrats.
- •Nearly half of respondents strongly oppose data center projects, and the survey found more Americans would rather live near a nuclear power plant than a data center.