Economic confidence among Americans declined for the second consecutive month in September, while a separate University of Florida survey found consumer sentiment in the Sunshine State has fallen for six straight months.
The Rasmussen Reports Economic Index fell to 102.1 in September, down more than two points from August. The index has declined for two consecutive months after reaching a four-year high of 115.9 in July 2025.
The decline comes as Florida consumers are also expressing growing concerns about economic conditions. The University of Florida’s latest Consumer Sentiment Index showed Florida sentiment falling 1.9 points to 67.4 in August, down from a revised July reading of 69.3. It marked the sixth consecutive monthly decline in Florida consumer confidence. National consumer sentiment also declined.
Rasmussen’s index rose sharply during President Donald Trump’s first term, reaching 147.8 in January 2020 before falling after the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic shutdowns. The index had recovered to 126.4 by November 2020 and later fell to 78.6 in July 2022.
In the latest Rasmussen survey, 35% of American adults rated the economy as either good or excellent, unchanged from August. Another 38% described the economy as poor, an increase of two percentage points from the previous month.
Twenty-four percent of respondents said they believe the economy is getting better, unchanged from August. Meanwhile, 57% said they expect economic conditions to worsen, up three points, while 16% said they expect conditions to remain about the same.
Views of the economy differed significantly by political affiliation. Fifty-five percent of Republicans rated the economy as good or excellent, compared with 27% of Democrats and 23% of adults who identified with neither major party.
Rasmussen reported that Republican confidence has increased substantially compared with October 2024, when 20% of GOP respondents rated the economy positively. Democratic confidence has moved in the opposite direction, falling from 59% who rated the economy good or excellent in October 2024.
The Rasmussen survey of 1,500 American adults was conducted Sept. 10. The poll reported a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Despite declining economic confidence, Rasmussen found an improvement in Americans’ broader view of the country’s direction. Thirty-nine percent said the United States is heading in the right direction, five percentage points higher than in August.
Rasmussen’s Spending Index also showed mixed results. Thirty-eight percent of Americans said they expect to spend more during the coming month, up three points from August. Eighteen percent expect to spend less, while 40% anticipate spending about the same amount.
Half of respondents said they expect to have money remaining after paying their debts and monthly expenses, an increase of one point from August. Thirty-eight percent said they do not expect to have money left over, while 12% were unsure.
