(CNSNews.com) - Only in Washington, D.C.—home of a federal government that has dramatically increased its spending as a share of the U.S. economy over the last three years—did a majority of the people say they believe the economy was getting better not worse in the first half of this year, according to a survey released today by Gallup.
In not one state did more than 41 percent of those surveyed tell Gallup they believed the economy was getting better.
From January through June, Gallup asked 87,634 American adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia this question: “Right now, do you think the economic conditions in the country are getting better or getting worse?”
In D.C., 60 percent said the economy was getting better and 31 percent said it was getting worse.
Maryland and South Dakota turned out to be the most economically optimistic states in the union. Yet, only 41 percent in these two states said they believed the economy was getting better. By contrast, 52 percent in Maryland said the economy was getting worse; and 55 percent in South Dakota said the economy was getting worse.
Maryland borders on Washington, D.C. and many people who work in Washington, D.C. commute there from suburban Maryland communities.
In 44 states, fewer than 40 percent of the people said they believed the economy was getting better. The smallest percentage was in West Virginia, where only 24 percent said the economy was getting better and 72 percent said it was getting worse.
West Virginia borders on relatively more optimistic Maryland--but unlike Maryland, it does not border on Washington, D.C.
In Minnesota and Iowa, where President Barack Obama is visiting today, 40 percent and 38 percent respectively said they believed the economy was getting better compared to 55 percent and 56 percent who said it was getting worse.
Since polling for this state-by-state Gallup survey ended in June, according to the polling company, economic confidence nationwide has fallen even further. “Gallup Daily tracking shows economic confidence plunging during July and early August,” said a Gallup analysis published today.
In the week that ended Aug. 7, Gallup reported, 77 percent of Americans said they thought the economy was getting worse.
Since President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget, federal spending has grown from 20.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product to 25.4 percent.
Here are the District of Columbia and the 50 states ranked by the percentage of people who told Gallup in the first half of 2011 that they thought the economy was getting better:
State Getting Better Getting Worse
1. District of Columbia 60 31
2. Maryland 41 52
3. South Dakota 41 55
4. North Dakota 40 57
5. Minnesota 40 55
6. Virginia 40 55
7. Massachusetts 40 53
8. Vermont 39 55
9. Nebraska 39 57
10. Utah 39 56
11. New Hampshire 38 58
12. Iowa 38 56
13. Colorado 38 56
14. California 38 56
15. Georgia 37 59
16. Alaska 37 57
17. Wisconsin 36 60
18. Michigan 36 59
19. Illinois 36 59
20. Oregon 36 59
21. South Carolina 36 59
22. North Carolina 35 60
23. New York 35 60
24. Washington 35 60
25. Arizona 35 60
26. Rhode Islans 34 58
27. Nevada 34 59
28. Hawaii 34 60
29. Connecticut 34 61
30. Texas 33 61
31. New Jersey 33 61
32. Pennsylvania 33 62
33. Indiana 33 62
34. Florida 33 62
35. Missouri 33 63
36. New Mexico 33 64
37. Montana 32 62
38. Idaho 32 62
39. Ohio 32 63
40. Kansas 32 63
41. Wyoming 32 64
42. Delaware 31 63
43. Alabama 31 64
44. Oklahoma 31 64
45. Tennessee 31 64
46. Arkansas 31 66
47. Mississippi 30 66
48. Maine 30 66
49. Kentucky 30 67
50. Louisiana 28 68
51. West Virginia 24 72
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