WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - June 17, 2015) - Americans overall are split on their assessment of their local economy and job situation, with minorities reporting more positively than Whites across all income brackets. On average, the differences can largely be attributed to region, with Americans who live in urban areas reporting more positively about their local economies and job situation, and residents in rural areas more negatively. The data are from the latest survey of community attitudes from NeighborWorks America, one of the largest community development nonprofits and grant makers in the U.S. In 2014, each dollar of grants from the corporation's Congressional appropriation leveraged $44 and helped to create or sustain 35,000 jobs.
Nationally, 50 percent of adults surveyed across the country said that their local economy is doing better than the national economy, while nearly one-third (32%) said that their local economy is doing worse than the nation overall.
The nation's two largest minority groups -- Blacks and Hispanics -- have a much more positive view of their local economy and job situation, according to the survey. Specifically, 68 percent of people who identify themselves as Hispanics say that their local economy is stronger than the nation, and 54 percent of African-Americans say the same. However, just 45 percent of Whites say that their local economy and job situation is better than the nation overall.
There is a marked difference in the assessment of the local economy and job situation by region, and that seems to be driving the results. Just 33 percent of rural residents rate their economy and job situation as better than the nation overall, compared to 48 percent of suburban residents, and 57 percent of urban residents.
A larger percentage of Blacks and Hispanics live in urban areas, where the view of the local economy and job situation is stronger. Rural residents are largely White (82 percent), and their feeling about their local economy appears to be depressing the overall White rating on the economy and job situation.
Not surprisingly, nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans with household income above $100,000 say that their local economy is doing better than the nation overall. That figure dips to 55% for households with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000. Forty-five percent of Americans with income below $75,000 say that their local economy and job situation are better than the national picture.
About NeighborWorks America
For more than 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and safe, affordable rental housing. In 2014, NeighborWorks America and its network created or sustained 35,000 jobs, and in the last five years, member organizations generated more than $22.5 billion of reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development, financial capability and affordable housing professionals.
Methodology
Anderson Robbins Research interviewed total of 1,308 adults living in the United States for this poll. This includes a national sample of 1,005 adults and 303 interviews with Gulf Coast residents in Mississippi and Louisiana. Interviews were conducted by trained professionals working from a central, monitored location between the dates of April 30 - May 11, 2015. Telephone numbers were selected using an RDD (Random Digit Dial) methodology, which ensures the inclusion of both listed and unlisted numbers. Respondents were contacted on both landline and cell phones. The margin of error associated with the overall national results is ± 3.1% and ± 6% for the Gulf Coast results.
About Anderson Robbins Research
Anderson Robbins Research is a Boston-based firm specializing in providing highly accurate research to political and corporate clients. ARR president Chris Anderson has provided polling to a presidential campaign, numerous ballot initiative campaigns, local and state political candidates, and is currently the Democratic pollster on a bipartisan team that conducts a regular national telephone poll of 1,000 voters on behalf of the FOX News Channel.
Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/6/17/11G045090/LocalEconomySurvey_Final-996998011525.pdf
Contact Information:
Contact:
Douglas Robinson
202-760-4062
drobinson@nw.org
