Washington, D.C., had a -5 score for the economic conditions component, but its +13 score for economic optimism boosted its overall index reading to positive territory, putting it ahead of the other metro areas. San Jose, too, had a negative score for the economic conditions component (-8), but was buoyed by its positive readings for optimism (+16), which brought its index to the top of the list.

Jacksonville had a dismal economic outlook score (-21), but an even more dismal score for current conditions (-28), which sank the MSA to the very bottom of the list. Pittsburgh, coming in second-lowest in overall confidence, had a -26 economic outlook score and a -23 score for current economic conditions.