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Siena Poll: Consumer sentiment in NY better than the U.S. overall

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For the first time in decades, consumer sentiment among New Yorkers is better than the nation as a whole.

That’s according to Don Levy, Director of the Siena College Research Institute, which conducts quarterly polls on that issue.

In a poll released this week, Levy said that that both the state and the nation’s consumer sentiment rose slightly over the fourth quarter, with New York outpacing the country by several points.

``The economic conditions just simply aren't having such a negative effect on New Yorkers, as upon the rest of the country,” Levy noted. “That being said, it's still not ‘happy days are here again,’ in New York.”

The poll also shows that 66% of those surveyed said the price of gas is taking a serious bite of their budgets, while 79% said the price of food is having a very serious or somewhat serious impact on their financial condition.

Levy added that one surprising poll result is that one in four New Yorkers said they plan to buy a car or truck in the next six months.

He said that’s the highest their pollsters have seen since the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

But Levy said the Siena survey did show a bit of a drop in terms of New Yorkers planning to purchase more expensive items such as furniture, consumer electronics and home improvements.

Also, the number of New Yorkers planning to buy a home was down a few points as well.

Alex Crichton is host of All Things Considered on WXXI-FM 105.9/AM 1370. Alex delivers local news, weather and traffic reports beginning at 4 p.m. each weekday.