October 26, 2026
MSU survey: what Michigan residents think about data centers
On September 24, 2026, Michigan State University's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) released a report on Michigan residents' views of data centers. It draws on a portion of the Summer 2026 State of the State Survey (SOSS), a public opinion survey of adult citizens of Michigan administered by IPPSR. The report was written by Tyler Swanson, Daniel Horowitz, Paul Borgess and Doug Bessette, PhD, of the MSU Energy Values Lab.
The report states that its analyses, interpretations and conclusions are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of IPPSR or of Michigan State University. Inquiries about the report are directed to Doug Bessette, PhD, at the MSU Energy Values Lab.
Key findings, as reported
- 4 out of 5 respondents have heard or read about data centers: 32% "a lot" and 48% "a little".
- 70% of respondents oppose the construction of data centers in their community: 52% strongly and 18% somewhat. 11% indicated any form of support.
- Opposition crosses party lines: 76% of self-described Democrats, 72% of self-described Independents and 58% of self-described Republicans at least "somewhat" or "strongly" oppose data center development in their communities.
- Nearly 3 out of 4 respondents thought data centers were "mostly bad" (51%) or "somewhat bad" (20%) for the environment. Over half thought they were "mostly bad" (40%) or "somewhat bad" (19%) for the economy.
- 83% believe local governments should have at least some say in permitting data centers, and 52% believe they should have "a lot" of say.
- 71% were at least "somewhat" concerned that a data center built in their community would attract additional large-scale development, such as a large-scale solar energy facility.
- 77% expect data centers to increase home energy costs, by "a lot" (55%) or "a little" (23%).
- A plurality (46%) do not think the State of Michigan should provide financial incentives for data center development, while 41% support incentives: 35% only if data center operators meet certain requirements, and 5% without conditions.
Documents
- Download IPPSR's report, Michigan Residents' Opposition to Data Centers (PDF, 4 pages, 760 KB)
Published by MSU Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (ippsr.msu.edu).
- Download IPPSR's press release, MSU Report Shows Strong Opposition to Data Centers (PDF, 1 page, 665 KB)
A scanned copy of the release as it was emailed to EMCOG, so a screen reader cannot read it. Everything it says is in the findings above.
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