Consumer confidence holds steady in this month’s New York Times|SurveyMonkey poll, ticking up to a score of 45 from 44 in April. Forward-looking expectations are the worst they’ve ever been: only 33% expect to be better off financially a year from now (a new low), while 46% expect to be the same and 20% expect to be worse off.
A full 60% of people now expect periods of widespread unemployment or depression in the next five years, while just 37% expect continuous good times economically. More people say they are worse off compared with a year ago than say they are now better off (30% vs. 25%).
Twice as many people now expect business conditions in the next 12 months to be bad rather than good (40% vs. 20%). Despite the dire economic sentiment, a slim majority of Americans views the coronavirus outbreak as more of a health crisis than an economic crisis for the country as a whole (53% vs. 45%), as well as for themselves personally (51% vs. 47%).
As the unemployment number continues to grow, a majority of people (56%) who are not employed say they are not likely to find a new job in the next month. Most of those who aren’t currently working are nervous about the impact that going back to work will have on their health. More than two-thirds (68%) say they are worried that returning to work would be a risk to their own health. Among those who are employed, just 45% say they are worried that performing their usual job responsibilities is a risk to their own health—a substantial number but still 20 points less than among the unemployed.
For more detailed results, click through the interactive toplines below.
Read more about our polling methodology here.
Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Jobs and the economy 39%45%34%Health care 27%24%30%Other (please specify) 11%11%12%The environment 8%8%9%Education 7%5%9%Immigration 4%5%3%No answer 1%1%1%Foreign policy 1%1%1%Terrorism 1%1%1%Question wording: Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?Survey dates: –Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Better off 25%31%20%Same 44%40%48%Worse off 30%28%31%No answer 1%1%1%Question wording: Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?Survey dates: –Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, worse off financially, or just about the same as now?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Better off 33%37%29%Same 46%42%50%Worse off 20%20%19%No answer 2%1%2%Question wording: Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, worse off financially, or just about the same as now?Survey dates: –Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole - do you think that during the next 12 months we'll have good or bad times financially?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Very good 9%11%7%Somewhat good 11%14%9%Mixed 39%35%42%Somewhat bad 22%21%23%Very bad 18%18%19%No answer 1%1%1%Question wording: Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole - do you think that during the next 12 months we'll have good or bad times financially?Survey dates: –Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely to take place in the next five years for the country as a whole:
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Continuous good times economically 37%44%30%Periods of widespread unemployment or depression 60%54%66%No answer 3%2%4%Question wording: Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely to take place in the next five years for the country as a whole:Survey dates: –Thinking about the big things people buy for their homes - such as furniture, a stove, a television... Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Good 17%21%14%Mixed 49%48%50%Bad 33%31%34%No answer 1%1%2%Question wording: Thinking about the big things people buy for their homes - such as furniture, a stove, a television... Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?Survey dates: –Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 More of an economic crisis 45%50%42%More of a health crisis 53%49%56%No answer 2%1%3%Question wording: Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?Survey dates: –How about for you personally? Is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 More of an economic crisis 47%51%44%More of a health crisis 51%47%54%No answer 2%1%3%Question wording: How about for you personally? Is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?Survey dates: –Which of the following best describes you?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 5,733 2,554 3,179 Employed – working full time 50%58%43%Employed – working part time 12%9%15%Not employed – student 6%6%6%Not employed – retired 17%15%19%Not employed – looking for paid work 10%10%10%Not employed – not looking for paid work 3%1%5%No answer 2%1%2%Question wording: Which of the following best describes you?Survey dates: –(Among employed) Have your hours been cut or has your income been reduced because of the coronavirus outbreak?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 3,726 1,724 2,002 Yes 38%38%39%No 61%61%61%No answer 0%1%0%Question wording: (Among employed) Have your hours been cut or has your income been reduced because of the coronavirus outbreak?Survey dates: –(Among employed) Are you able to work from home because of the coronavirus outbreak?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 3,726 1,724 2,002 Yes 50%51%49%No 49%48%50%No answer 0%0%0%Question wording: (Among employed) Are you able to work from home because of the coronavirus outbreak?Survey dates: –(Among employed) How worried are you that you will lose your job in the coming weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 3,726 1,724 2,002 NET worried 35%33%38%Very worried 11%10%13%Somewhat worried 24%23%25%NET not worried 64%66%62%Not too worried 30%28%31%Not worried at all 35%39%31%No answer 1%1%0%Question wording: (Among employed) How worried are you that you will lose your job in the coming weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak?Survey dates: –(Among employed) How worried are you that performing your usual work responsibilities right now is a risk to your own health?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 3,726 1,724 2,002 NET worried 45%41%50%Very worried 19%17%21%Somewhat worried 26%24%29%NET not worried 54%58%50%Not too worried 22%23%20%Not worried at all 33%36%30%No answer 0%0%0%Question wording: (Among employed) How worried are you that performing your usual work responsibilities right now is a risk to your own health?Survey dates: –(Among NOT employed) Approximately how long have you been out of work?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 576 190 386 A few weeks or less 7%10%4%About a month 14%17%12%About two months 27%28%27%About three months 10%14%7%About four months 7%7%7%Five or more months 32%23%37%No answer 4%1%6%Question wording: (Among NOT employed) Approximately how long have you been out of work?Survey dates: –(Among NOT employed) Have you applied for unemployment benefits in the past four weeks?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 576 190 386 Yes, I’ve successfully applied 23%27%20%I’ve tried to apply but haven’t been successful 28%31%27%No, I haven’t applied 46%38%51%No answer 3%3%3%Question wording: (Among NOT employed) Have you applied for unemployment benefits in the past four weeks?Survey dates: –(Among NOT employed) How likely do you think you are to find a new job in the next month?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 576 190 386 NET likely 41%47%38%Very likely 13%15%11%Somewhat likely 29%32%26%NET not likely 56%50%60%Not too likely 30%28%31%Not likely at all 26%23%29%No answer 3%3%3%Question wording: (Among NOT employed) How likely do you think you are to find a new job in the next month?Survey dates: –(Among NOT employed) How worried are you that returning to work would be a risk to your own health?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 576 190 386 NET worried 68%71%67%Very worried 37%42%34%Somewhat worried 31%28%33%NET not worried 29%27%29%Not too worried 16%17%15%Not worried at all 13%10%14%No answer 3%2%4%Question wording: (Among NOT employed) How worried are you that returning to work would be a risk to your own health?Survey dates: –(Among NOT employed) If you had to make the following decision today, would you prefer to:
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 576 190 386 Continue not working while receiving your current amount of government assistance 29%24%33%Accept a new job that matches your previous salary 65%71%61%No answer 6%4%7%Question wording: (Among NOT employed) If you had to make the following decision today, would you prefer to:Survey dates: –
Question text:
Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?
Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, worse off financially, or just about the same as now?
Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole - do you think that during the next 12 months we'll have good or bad times financially?
Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely to take place in the next five years for the country as a whole:
Thinking about the big things people buy for their homes - such as furniture, a stove, a television… Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items?
Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?
How about for you personally? Is the coronavirus outbreak more of an economic crisis or more of a health crisis?
(Among employed) Have your hours been cut or has your income been reduced because of the coronavirus outbreak?
(Among employed) Are you able to work from home because of the coronavirus outbreak?
(Among employed) How worried are you that you will lose your job in the coming weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak?
(Among employed) How worried are you that performing your usual work responsibilities right now is a risk to your own health?
(Among NOT employed) Approximately how long have you been out of work?
(Among NOT employed) Have you applied for unemployment benefits in the past four weeks?
(Among NOT employed) How likely do you think you are to find a new job in the next month?
(Among NOT employed) How worried are you that returning to work would be a risk to your own health?
(Among NOT employed) If you had to make the following decision today, would you prefer to: Continue not working while receiving your current amount of government assistance / Accept a new job that matches your previous salary
