Дата-центры ИИ: 53% американцев против соседства, но Вирджиния голосует за

More than half of Americans — 53% — do not want an AI data center built near their home. This is according to a survey by Redfin, published in July 2026; at the same time, these same buildings fund local schools through property taxes in the areas where they are built.

What the Redfin survey found

The Redfin survey captured the central paradox of the AI boom: 53% of US residents oppose the construction of an AI data center in their neighborhood, even though they generally support the development of the technology itself. The gap between broad support for AI and reluctance to live near its infrastructure is the study's central finding. Economists call this the NIMBY effect — "not in my backyard."

• 53% of US residents oppose having an AI data center as a neighbor — Redfin survey, July 2026
• Most, however, support the AI boom overall
• Data centers fund local schools through property taxes
• The largest cluster of such facilities in the country is Northern Virginia

The reasons for opposition are usually the same: noise, growing strain on power grids and water supply systems, and the industrial appearance of buildings the size of several football fields. For many residents, this outweighs the abstract benefits of AI.

Why Virginia says "yes"

Northern Virginia agrees to data centers because they fill local budgets and fund schools. The region around Loudoun County is the world's largest data center market, and taxes on this real estate make up a significant share of local government revenue. That is why the county has become a symbol of how AI infrastructure is changing the local economy.

According to local authorities, data centers bring counties hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue per year. This money reduces the tax burden on ordinary residents and feeds school budgets — which is why, in places where facilities are already operating, opposition is noticeably weaker than the national average. Other states are offering similar deals, competing for the tax base that AI infrastructure brings.

"Americans want the AI boom — just not next to their own home," is the conclusion of the

Redfin survey.

Why the disputes are growing

The number of data centers is growing along with the AI race: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and OpenAI are investing tens of billions of dollars in computing infrastructure to train and run models. The more such campuses are planned, the more often residents learn about construction next door — and the louder the NIMBY sentiment becomes.

Every new facility means acres of land, new power transmission lines, and water consumption for server cooling. The strain on the power grid is becoming a separate subject of dispute. The Redfin survey shows which side public opinion currently leans toward: 53% opposed.

What this means

The conflict between demand for AI and reluctance to live near its infrastructure will only intensify as the number of data centers grows. Virginia demonstrates a working compromise: tangible local benefits — taxes and money for schools — can outweigh residents' resistance. Where no such trade-off is offered, construction will stall. For the industry, this means that the growth of computing power depends not only on chips and energy, but also on the consent of local communities.

Frequently asked questions

Why are Americans against AI data centers near their homes?

According to the Redfin survey, 53% of US residents do not want such a neighbor, even though they generally support the development of AI. The reasons usually cited are noise, strain on power grids and water, and the industrial scale of the buildings.

How do data centers help schools in Virginia?

Data centers pay property taxes into local budgets, part of which goes to education. In Northern Virginia — the world's largest cluster of such facilities — this revenue funds county schools and reduces taxes for residents.

*Meta has been declared an extremist organization and is banned in Russia.