Arizonans’ confidence in economy growing again
May 13, 2014, 7:21 AM | Updated: 7:32 am
PHOENIX — Arizona’s consumer confidence has reached its highest level since the start of the recession, according to a survey.
The Behavior Research Center said the Arizona Consumer Confidence Index rose to 75.1 percent compared to 68.9 percent in January. The Rocky Mountain Poll said optimism about the economy is particularly strong in the state’s major urban counties, Maricopa and Pima. Those numbers are the best since January 2008.
What may be holding back the index is that respondents don’t have much faith that their family income will improve anytime soon.
That has remained basically unchanged since the summer of 2011. In Arizona’s rural counties, however, optimism did not keep pace with the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
The confidence index in rural Arizona stood at 49.7 percent, a big slide from January’s 65.5 percent.
The poll is based on 710 interviews conducted April 16-27.
KTAR’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
