Poll: Most NJ residents pessimistic about US economy but more upbeat on their own finances
A Rutgers-Eagleton survey found that younger adults, Black, Hispanic and lower-income residents report the greatest financial strain.
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Most New Jersey residents view the national economy negatively, but many are more optimistic about their own financial and employment situations, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Monday.
The survey found 58% of New Jerseyans rate the U.S. economy as "bad" or "very bad," while 53% give the national job market a negative assessment. At the same time, 48% rate their own financial situation positively and 52% say the same about their employment.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents, 73%, said they tried to reduce their utility bills in the previous three months. Sixty-one percent said they changed the groceries they buy to stay within budget, while 60% said they cut back on entertainment and other nonessential spending.
Researchers found financial hardship is not shared equally across the state. Adults ages 18 to 34, Black and Hispanic residents, and lower-income households consistently reported greater financial strain and were more likely to cut spending on groceries, entertainment and, in some cases, health care.
"This is the all-too-familiar and unfortunate tale of two New Jerseys," Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, said in a statement. "The state's youngest, Black and Hispanic and lower-income residents are carrying far more of the strain, cutting back on groceries, bills and even health care at rates their older, white and wealthier neighbors simply are not."
The statewide survey was conducted June 25-29 among 1,006 New Jersey adults through the Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
