Business

31% Owe More Money Now

More Americans say they owe more money this month, but most say their interest rates haven't changed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% of American Adults owe more than they did a year ago. That's up three points from last month and ties the recent high in March. Another 31% say they owe less than they did a year ago, while slightly more (35%) say the amount they owe is about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here).

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on May 22-23, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

73% Expect to Pay More for Groceries

Most Americans remain concerned about inflation and lack confidence in the Federal Reserve to keep it under control. This helps explain why more now expect grocery prices to keep going up.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 85% of American Adults say they are paying more for groceries than a year ago, the highest finding since March of last year. Just eight percent (8%) are not paying more than they were a year ago. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on May 22-23, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

52% Are Confident in Banks' Stability

Just over half of Americans remain confident in the stability of the U.S. banking system today.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the nation's banks, but that includes just 11% who are Very Confident. Forty-two percent (42%) are not confident in the banking industry, with 11% who are Not at All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on May 22-23, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

38% Think It’s a Good Time to Sell a House

Belief that now's a good time to sell a home is at its highest level since last fall.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of American Adults say, generally speaking, now is a good time for someone in their area to sell a house. That's up from 34% last month and just one point shy of 39% in September. the highest level of confidence in regular surveying since April 2009. Just as many (37%) say it’s not a good time to sell, but that ties the all-time low first reached last September. One-in-four (25%) are not sure whether it’s a good time to sell or not. (To see survey question wording, click here).

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on May 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

59% Think Their Home's Worth More Than When They Bought It

Most homeowners remain confident they know what their home’s worth in today’s market, and they still believe it’s worth more than when they bought it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of Adult Homeowners are at least somewhat confident that they know how much their home is worth in the housing market today. Fourteen percent (14%) are not. That includes 45% who are Very Confident they know their home’s worth and just two percent (2%) who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 672 Adult Homeowners was conducted on May 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

38% Expect Their Home’s Value To Go Up In Next Year

Confidence in the short-term housing market remains stable at levels seen since early last year, but long-term confidence has fallen to its lowest since September.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of American homeowners feel the value of their home is more than what they still owe on their mortgage. That is unchanged from March and consistent with views since last October. Thirty-one percent (31%) now say their home is not worth more than they owe. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 672 Adult Homeowners was conducted on May 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Most Workers Like Their Boss

Most Americans look forward to going to work perhaps in large part because they like the people they work with.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of working Americans rate their boss or supervisor as good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just nine percent (9%) give their boss poor marks. This shows little change from last year. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 612 Working Americans was conducted on May 12-13, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

43% Rarely or Never Contact the Office While on Vacation

More American workers than ever plan on using all of their vacation time this year, and fewer are connecting with work while they are away.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 61% of Employed Adults plan to use all of their vacation time this year, while 24% do not. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here).

62% Look Forward to Going to Work

The number of employed Americans who put in more than 40 hours a week on the job has increased since a year ago, but most still say they look forward to going to work each day.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 28% of Working Americans say they work a 40-hour week. Thirty-eight percent (38%) work more than that, with 10% who work more than 50 hours a week.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update ? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 612 Working Americans was conducted on May 12-13, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

51% Favor Raising Minimum Wage to $10.10 an Hour

Support for raising the minimum wage remains unchanged from earlier this year, with half of Americans continuing to favor President Obama's proposal to push it up to $10.10 an hour.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of American Adults favor raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. That’s essentially unchanged from late February but down from a high of 61% in July of last year. Thirty-nine percent (39%) still oppose raising the minimum wage to that level, also unchanged from February but up from 29% last summer. Nine percent (9%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on May 6-7, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Most Still Think Government Workers Better Off Than Those in Private Sector

Americans still believe government workers not only earn more money than those in the private sector but also work less and have more job security. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of American Adults think the average government employee earns more annually than the average private sector worker. Half as many (26%) disagree, but 23% are not sure. (To see survey questions, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 30-May 1, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

36% Say More Government Hiring Would Be Good for Economy

Most Americans continue to oppose extended government help for the long-term unemployed. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 15% of American Adults believe the government should extend unemployment benefits indefinitely for those who can’t find work for an extended period of time. Twelve percent (12%) think the government should hire those who can’t find work for an extended period. But 31% prefer the short-term solution of paying for their retraining, while another 31% think the government should nothing at all for the long-term unemployed. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 30-May 1, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

42% Know Someone Who Has Given Up Looking for a Job

Americans are slightly more optimistic about the job market than they were two months ago.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 69% of American Adults know someone who is out of work and looking for a job. That’s down four points from March and is the lowest finding measured since September. From 2010 through early last year, this figure regularly ran in the mid- to high 70s. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 30-May 1, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

49% Still Think Financial Bailouts Bad For U.S.

Looking back, half of voters continue to disagree with the government bailouts of the financial industry.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 30% of Likely U.S. Voters feel the government bailouts of the financial sector were good for America.  Forty-nine percent (49%) say they were bad for the country instead. Twenty-one percent (21%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 19-20, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

52% Consider a Home a Family’s Best Investment

Americans still to tend to view a home as a family’s best investment and remain cautiously optimistic about the current housing market where they live.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of American Adults say now is a good time for someone in their area to sell a house, up slightly from a month ago but down from September's high of 39%. Thirty-nine percent (39%) now disagree and think it's not a good time to sell. But that's a seven-point improvement from 46% in March. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are undecided.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

24% Believe Gov't Should Assist Those Who Can’t Make Mortgage Payments

Support for the government helping underwater homeowners remains at higher levels than it has been in been for most of the past four years. A new Rasmussen Reports national survey telephone survey finds that 24% of Americans believe that if someone cannot afford to make their increased mortgage payments, the government should assist them in making those payments. That's down just one point from 25% in February, the highest level of support for government assistance on mortgage payments since September 2012. Sixty-one percent (61%), however, still believe if someone cannot afford to make their mortgage payments, that person should sell the home and find a less expensive one. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 653 Adult Homeowners and 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

38% Think Their Home Will Be Worth More A Year From Now

Short- and long-term confidence in the housing market remain at levels seen since the beginning of last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of American homeowners expect their home’s value to go up over the next year. That's up two points from March and the highest finding since October. Just 13% expect housing values to go down over the next year, while nearly half (46%) think they will remain the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 668 Adult Homeowners was conducted on April 18-19, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

50% Expect Higher Interest Rates Next Year

Most Americans say they are paying the same amount in interest as they were a year ago, but half expect to be paying more a year from now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey funds that 28% of American Adults owe more money than they did a year ago, down from last month’s recent high of 31%. Thirty-three percent (33%) say they owe less than they did a year ago, while slightly more (35%) say they owe about the same amount. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 14-15, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

72% Expect to Pay More For Groceries A Year From Now

Three-out-of-four Americans remain concerned about inflation, and the number who expects to pay more in the grocery store a year from now is higher than it’s been in months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of American Adults are at least somewhat concerned about inflation, with 38% who are Very Concerned. Twenty percent (20%) don't share that concern, but that includes just four percent (4%) who are Not At All Concerned. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 14-15, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

50% Still Confident in Stability of Banking System

Half of American Adults are still confident in the stability of the U.S. banking system today.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the nation's banks, but that includes just 10% who are Very Confident. Forty-four percent (44%) are not confident in the banking industry, with 12% who are Not at All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on April 14-15, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.