Vanderbilt Poll: Confidence in State Economy But Not the Personal Economy

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The new Vanderbilt University Statewide Poll 2025 indicates that while Tennessee residents have a high degree of confidence in the state’s economy, they’re not so optimistic about their own financial situation. According to the poll, 61% of respondents categorized the state’s economy as good or very good. On a personal level though, Vanderbilt found that “economic anxiety has increased”, with 87% of respondents noting that the cost of living is “somewhat or very expensive”, 77% worried about being able to pay for emergencies, and 51% concerned about being able to cover everyday household expenses. Finally, 70% expressed concerns about being able to save for retirement or education expenses. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect, if any, these poll numbers will have on things like personal consumption, retail sales, and the state’s housing market. The poll was conducted November 12-19, 2025. This link to the press release also includes a short video from the University.

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