Connecticut Residents Economic Confidence Exceeds National Average

Connecticut ranks tied for 8^th among the states in an “economic confidence” index compiled by Gallup Analytics, with residents more optimistic about the nation’s economy than the national average. According to the survey data, no state's residents have a positive outlook when it comes to “economic confidence.”  The states whose residents are the least negative are Massachusetts (-1 in the index), Minnesota (-2), California (-5) and Texas (-8).  The national average is -16 on the Gallup index.

Rounding out the top ten in economic confidence are the states of Nebraska, Maryland and Iowa, tied at -9, and the states of Wisconsin, Washington, North Dakota, and Connecticut, tied for 8^th at -10.

The Gallup data was compiled in 2013. Gallup's Economic Confidence Index is based on the combined responses to two questions, the first asking Americans to rate economic conditions in the country, and second, whether they think economic conditions in the country as a whole are getting better or getting worse.

At the bottom of the list, with the least economic confidence among residents, were West Virginia (-44), Alaska (-32), Wyoming (-29), Kentucky (-28), Arkansas (-27) and Idaho (-27).

Connecticut residents had stronger economic confidence than other states’ residents in the region, with the exception of Massachusetts.  New York (-11), New Jersey (-13), Rhode Island (-12), Vermont (-18), New Hampshire (-14) and Maine (-22) residents had less positive attitudes toward the nation's economy.

The Gallup Index is computed by adding the percentage of Americans rating current economic conditions (("excellent" + "good") minus "poor") to the percentage saying the economy is ("getting better" minus "getting worse"), and then dividing that sum by 2.

Unlike the 50 states, Washington, D.C. reflected economic confidence in the positive range, at 19.

The Index has a theoretical maximum value of +100 and a theoretical minimum value of -100. Values above zero indicate that more Americans have a positive than a negative view of the economy; values below zero indicate net-negative views, and zero indicates that positive and negative views are equal.

Gallup's most recent economic confidence index for the entire nation was slightly improved from a year ago, now at -12.  A breakdown by states was not available.