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UVa Study: Economic Optimism Up in Central Va.

Posted: 7:34 AM Dec 13, 2012

UVa Study: Economic Optimism Up in Central Va.

December 13, 2012

If you're feeling better about your financial position now than you were at the start of the year, you're not alone.

The consumer confidence index for people in Charlottesville, Albemarle and surrounding counties has jumped about ten points since earlier this year.

Researchers at UVa surveyed more than a thousand people in our area and found that, in general, Central Virginians are feeling better about current economic conditions. Not only that, but they're even more optimistic about the future.

"With my dad's business and all, it doesn't feel like he's having as hard a time as he was maybe two years ago," says Grace Ahn of Charlottesville. "I remember it was really bad then, but it seems to have settled down a bit."

The survey showed people who live in Charlottesville had the greatest satisfaction with both the current conditions and the most optimism for the future. Fluvanna and Louisa county residents were the only areas to indicate a decline.

Nationally, consumers are also more optimistic now than they were earlier this year.

However, the survey revealed the overall positive feelings of local consumers have moved at a faster pace than Americans in general.