WASHINGTON, January 9 (Sputnik) — A record number of Americans are satisfied with their current standard of living as the post-2008 economic recovery gains steam, a Gallup poll has revealed.
"A consistent majority of Americans have expressed satisfaction with their standard of living over the past seven years, ranging from 69% in late 2008 to 81% today," the poll results, released Thursday, show.
The improving economy has led to a rise in Americans" optimism, with 61 percent saying their standard of living is improving, Gallup poll data shows. That compares to a low of 33 percent in October, 2008 when the financial crisis hit the United States.
However, according to Gallup, Americans" faith in the stability of their life conditions has decreased and now "how Americans view their standard of living can crumple just as quickly as the [US] economy".
According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the US economy grew at an annual rate of 5 percent in the third quarter of 2014 and 4.6 percent in the second quarter. The growth has been accompanied by a steady decrease in the unemployment rate from a recession high of 10 percent in October, 2009 to 5.8 percent in November of last year, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics.
