---
"title": "Econ 101"
"description": "More Americans know the unemployment rate than the level of the Dow."
"date": "2009-04-21"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Russell Heimlich"
    "job_title": "Former web developer"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/short-reads/2009/04/21/econ-101/"
---

# Econ 101

A survey quiz of Americans on their knowledge of economic and political news finds more Americans know the current unemployment rate (53% correct) than the current level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (40% correct). In both cases, when respondents answered incorrectly they were far more likely to be overly negative than overly positive. Among the 47% who did not know the unemployment rate was around 8% (the survey was conducted in March), 24% said the rate was closer to 12%, and another 18% thought it closer to 16%. Only 3% of Americans thought the unemployment rate was significantly lower than its actual level. Among those who did not know the Dow was around 8,000, roughly a third of Americans (34%) said it was either closer to 3,000 (20%) or 5,000 (14%), while just 4% estimated it at 11,000. [Read More](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/pubs/1179/economic-news-iq-quiz)