A new Baltimore Metropolitan Council pulse survey shows people in the region are pessimistic about the economy and cost of living.
55% of respondents said the economy in their area was fair or poor, up from 51% in September 2024.
And while the split remained about 50-50 for how people felt about their personal family finances, nearly 3 in every 4 respondents agreed with the statement "For my family, our income is not keeping pace with rising costs."
Utility and electric bills had the biggest jump in what people felt had a big rising cost impact on their family.
In September, 34% of people agreed that the rising cost of energy prices had one of the biggest impacts on their family. By April, that number had jumped to 57%.
The rising costs of groceries came down from 70% to 63%, housing and rent remained about the same, and fuel and gasoline came down from 26% to 18%.
An overwhelming majority of survey respondents across the region also felt that the cost of housing was a problem, with nearly half calling it a major problem.
The survey also found that residents in most counties are overall dissatisfied with traffic in their area (Howard County residents were the only ones to have a majority satisfied).
Residents of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel, and Harford are all still feeling the traffic impact from the Key Bridge collapse.
Baltimore City residents are the most willing to use public transportation, and Harford County residents are the least willing.
Though, respondents also said that more convenient stops, increased safety and more frequent trains or buses would all be more likely to increase their willingness to use public transportation.
The survey also showed that in the Baltimore region, the number of people who said they were likely to buy an electric car went down from 39% in September to 34% in April.
