UW survey: Wyo. residents have mixed views on national and state economies

CHEYENNE (WNE) — A new University of Wyoming survey reveals a significant sense of pessimism among Wyoming residents regarding the national economy, with 71% stating they believe it has worsened over the past year. While 12% feel the economic conditions have remained the same, only 18% perceive any improvement.

The outlook for Wyoming’s economy is somewhat more positive, though still cautious. Just over half of the respondents, at 52%, believe that the state’s economy has worsened over the past year. Meanwhile,

12% report an improvement, and approximately 36% feel it has stayed the same.

The statewide survey was conducted Sept. 24-Oct. 27, yielding 739 responses from randomly selected Wyoming residents. The margin of error for the distribution of responses on any individual survey question is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Men and women from all age groups and all counties in Wyoming are proportionally represented in the survey data. The final survey data have been weighted to reflect the actual population distribution in Wyoming on gender, age, county of residence, party affiliation and education.

Looking ahead, optimism remains limited, as only 38% of respondents anticipate that the national economy will improve in the coming year. In contrast, 36% expect it will worsen, while 18% expect stability and 26% remain uncertain about future economic trends.

When looking at the future of Wyoming’s economy, sentiments are mixed: 27% expect economic conditions to improve in the next 12 months; 29% think it will worsen; and nearly 44% anticipate stability. Additionally, 22% of participants express uncertainty regarding the future state of the economy.

This story was published on November 6, 2024.