Poll Finds Split Views on North Dakota Data Centers

Traditional data centers draw more support than AI facilities among North Dakota residents, according to a statewide telephone survey.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Data Centers

Poll Finds Split Views on North Dakota Data Centers

Live Poll

Would you support a data center being built in your community if developers paid for infrastructure?

A statewide poll of 625 North Dakota adults conducted Oct. 19 through Oct. 21 found 57% supported traditional data center development, while 45% opposed AI data centers. Support was higher than opposition for traditional facilities but lower than opposition for AI facilities.

Why it matters

The findings show residents are more receptive to traditional data centers than AI-focused ones, with support rising sharply if developers cover local infrastructure costs. The results come as the state weighs data center growth tied to digital services demand.

The poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc. among 625 adults, shows 57% support for traditional data centers against 19% opposition. Forty percent said they would oppose a traditional data center in their own community, and the survey does not show how opinion would shift for a specific proposed site.

The players

Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc.

A polling firm based in Jacksonville, Florida, that conducted the North Dakota survey.

Arik Spencer

A data center proponent who argued the U.S. would need to double data center capacity within five years to sustain e-commerce, streaming, and other digital tools.

The details

Twenty-four percent of respondents were undecided on traditional data centers and 20% were undecided on AI data centers. Sixty-two percent said traditional data centers were very or somewhat important to the state economy, and 52% said they were important for expanding the local tax base.

Oct. 19 through Oct. 21: Telephone interviews with 625 North Dakota residents were conducted.
Nov. 6: Poll results were published as the first story in The Data Divide series.

Big Picture

This poll is the opening installment of The Data Divide series, which will track North Dakota's data center debate as proposals move forward. Its results set an initial public-opinion baseline against which later reporting can be measured.

For North Dakota residents, the poll suggests that cost-sharing arrangements for local infrastructure could determine whether a proposed traditional data center gains community acceptance. Residents weighing local projects may find the 74% support figure tied to developer-paid infrastructure a key factor in how such proposals are judged.

The takeaway

Public support for data centers in North Dakota depends heavily on the type of facility and who bears local infrastructure costs. Residents are more receptive to traditional facilities and to arrangements where developers cover those expenses.