University of Wyoming
November 1, 2024 – A new University of Wyoming survey reveals a significant sense of pessimism among Wyoming residents regarding the national economy, with 71 percent stating they believe it has worsened over the past year. While 12 percent feel the economic conditions have remained the same, only 18 percent perceive any improvement.
The outlook for Wyoming’s economy is somewhat more positive, though still cautious. Just over half of the respondents, at 52 percent, believe that the state’s economy has worsened over the past year. Meanwhile, 12 percent report an improvement, and approximately 36 percent feel it has stayed the same.
The statewide survey was conducted Sept. 24-Oct. 27, yielding 739 responses from randomly selected Wyoming residents. The margin of error for the distribution of responses on any individual survey question is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Men and women from all age groups and all counties in Wyoming are proportionally represented in the survey data. The final survey data have been weighted to reflect the actual population distribution in Wyoming on gender, age, county of residence, party affiliation and education.
Looking ahead, optimism remains limited, as only 38 percent of respondents anticipate that the national economy will improve in the coming year. In contrast, 36 percent expect it will worsen, while 18 percent expect stability and 26 percent remain uncertain about future economic trends.
When looking at the future of Wyoming’s economy, sentiments are mixed: 27 percent expect economic conditions to improve in the next 12 months; 29 percent think it will worsen; and nearly 44 percent anticipate stability. Additionally, 22 percent of participants express uncertainty regarding the future state of the economy.
This data reflects the prevailing concerns and cautious optimism among Wyoming residents as they navigate current economic challenges and contemplate the future, says Ryan Williamson, an assistant professor of political science at UW.
“Economic pessimism prevails concerning the national landscape, yet cautious optimism is seen locally within Wyoming,” he says.
Economic Development Strategies
The survey findings reveal differing opinions among Wyoming residents about the best path forward for the state’s economic development.
According to the survey, 47 percent of Wyomingites feel that the state’s economy needs to be diversified. This perspective advocates for exploring new industries and technologies to create a balanced and resilient economic landscape.
Conversely, 54 percent of respondents support expanding traditional industries such as agriculture, coal production and tourism, emphasizing the importance of these sectors in maintaining economic stability and growth in Wyoming.
“Wyoming’s economic future is at a crossroads, with residents equally valuing innovation and the strength of traditional industries,” Williamson says.
Biennial surveys of Wyoming residents are conducted by UW’s School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies in partnership with the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center. The questions focus on attitudes toward government, elected officials, candidates for office and contemporary policy issues. Questions regarding the survey can be directed to .
A top-line report with methodological outline and complete survey results can be found at https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/projects/weys24/.
A random sample of all cellular and land-line telephones was generated for the UW survey. Selected respondents were contacted via email, mail and phone to complete the survey, with 59 percent of responses on the web and the remaining 41 percent via live-interviewer telephone (92 percent cellular).
“This approach to the survey methodology gives every person in Wyoming with a phone an equal probability of selection for the survey,” says Brian Harnisch, director of the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center. “Survey respondents accurately reflect the statewide population in terms of general demographic characteristics that include age, gender and county of residence, as well as other benchmarks such as party affiliation and educational attainment.”