Survey: Americans' confidence in job market at record high

May 21 (UPI) -- Pollster Gallup said Tuesday more Americans are confident in the U.S. job market than they've been at any other time in the history of the poll.

The survey showed 71 percent of respondents said now is a good time to find a job in the United States. That's the highest figure since Gallup first began asking the question in 2001 -- and a jump from 65 percent in March and April. It was 69 percent in February.

The poll numbers come at a time of historic unemployment, relatively good job numbers and a strong economy.

Gallup surveyed more than 1,000 people and the report has a margin of error of 4 points.

Another poll Tuesday was less bullish. A study by Harvard University, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NPR said 40 percent of rural Americans routinely struggle paying for medical care, food and housing -- and 49 percent said they would not be able to afford an unexpected $1,000 expense.

One in four rural Americans said they couldn't buy medical insurance, though 87 percent said they have more access to buy it than they did a decade ago.

"At a time when we thought we had made major progress in reducing barriers to needed health care, the fact that 1 in 4 still face these barriers is an issue of national concern," analyst Robert J. Blendon said.

"Either it is still not affordable for them or the insurance they have doesn't work -- they can't get care from the health providers that are in their community."

Researchers surveyed more than 1,400 people for the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.5 points.