Coloradans' attitudes about data centers
Coloradans oppose data centers by a margin of more than three-to-one according to anew survey from the Colorado Polling Institute.
A new survey from the Colorado Polling Institute shows overwhelming opposition to data center construction in the state. The survey – fielded March 20-25, 2026 among 613 Colorado residents – finds that a majority of Coloradans see more downsides to data center construction than benefits (57% compared to 17%). Opposition is strongest among Democratic-leaning groups in the state, but a plurality of Republicans also oppose data centers.
Share of those who say having more data centers in Colorado would have ...
Despite the broad and bipartisan opposition to data centers, some counties (ahem, Weld) in the state are working to make it easier for them to be built even as others have placed temporary moratoria on new construction.
A recent report from Pew Research shows that two-thirds of new data center proposals are planned for rural areas while a large majority of currently-operating data centers are located in urban areas (87%). The survey included estimates of Colorado opinion by community type.
Share of those who say having more data centers in Colorado would have ...
Interestingly, despite the large political divides in Colorado by rural and urban areas, views of data centers are largely unrelated to community type. People living in cities, suburbs, and rural areas or small towns were all equally likely to say they see more downsides to data center construction than benefits.
