Poll: Personal optimism about 2013 high

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PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A majority of Americans say they're optimistic about how they and their families will fare in 2013, results of a Gallup poll released Thursday indicate.

Sixty-nine percent expressed such optimism, while 27 percent said they were pessimistic, the USA Today-Gallup poll indicated.

In a poll released Wednesday, a majority of Americas generally expressed pessimism about the prospects for the U.S. economy.

Americans' personal optimism about 2013 is tied to political and ideological orientation, results of the Princeton, N.J., polling agency indicated. Democrats and liberals are the most personally optimistic about the coming year while Republicans and conservatives are the least.

Personal optimism about 2013 also varied by demographics, Gallup said.

Results showed little significant difference in personal optimism across socio-economic segments. However, the poll found optimism fell by age, from 80 percent among 18- to 29-year-olds to 54 percent among those 65 and older.

The poll indicated women were more optimistic than men, 71 percent to 66 percent.

By 79 percent to 65 percent, non-whites were more optimistic than whites, Gallup said.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,025 adults conducted Dec. 14-17. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.