If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

BUSINESS

57% Expect Higher Interest Rates A Year From Now

The number of adults nationwide who expect a rise in interest rates has reached its highest level in nearly two years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 57% of Adults now predict interest rates will be higher one year from now. Only five percent (5%) say rates will be lower by then, while 26% say they will be about the same as they are now. Another 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

The number of adults who expect higher interest rates next year is up seven points from October. This finding to this question stayed within a narrow 50% to 54% range from mid-2009 through October of last year, but only 34% expected interest rates to increase back in April 2009.

There is little difference in opinion between investors and non-investors on this question. But those Americans who make $20,000 or less annually are more likely than adults who make more to think interest rates will be higher a year from now.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of all Americans say the interest rates they are paying now are higher compared to this time last year, while 14% say they are lower. A plurality (49%) says their interest rates now are about the same as they were then. These numbers have changed little from results found over the past two years. But in April 2009, 25% said their interest rates were lower than the prior year.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 8-9, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Want to read more?

Become a Rasmussen Reader to read the article

Have an account?

Log In

Become a Reader

Subscribe

Rasmussen Reports is a media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion information.

We conduct public opinion polls on a variety of topics to inform our audience on events in the news and other topics of interest. To ensure editorial control and independence, we pay for the polls ourselves and generate revenue through the sale of subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertising. Nightly polling on politics, business and lifestyle topics provides the content to update the Rasmussen Reports web site many times each day. If it's in the news, it's in our polls. Additionally, the data drives a daily update newsletter and various media outlets across the country.

Some information, including the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and commentaries are available for free to the general public. Subscriptions are available for $4.95 a month or 34.95 a year that provide subscribers with exclusive access to more than 20 stories per week on upcoming elections, consumer confidence, and issues that affect us all. For those who are really into the numbers, Platinum Members can review demographic crosstabs and a full history of our data.

To learn more about our methodology, click here.