Data Analysis

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index rose 7.5 points to 91.7 in October 2026, back to what the Conference Board called June levels, as views of jobs and business conditions improved.

The Expectations Index rose 6.9 points to 72.6. September was revised up to 84.2 from the 81.9 first published, and plans to buy a home slipped on a six-month average.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index rose 7.5 points to 91.7 in October 2026, up from a revised 84.2 in September. The Present Situation Index rose 8.6 points to 120.4. The Expectations Index rose 6.9 points to 72.6. September's reading was revised up from the 81.9 the Conference Board published on September 29. The Conference Board said confidence "revived to June levels." On a six-month moving average, plans to buy a home declined slightly, and consumers still expected higher interest rates over the next 12 months.

October's 91.7 is the highest reading since May 2026 in the series Momentum Research has compiled from the Conference Board's own releases. The largest monthly gain in that series is still May 2025's rise of about 12.7 points.

How much did consumer confidence rise in October 2026?

The headline index rose 7.5 points to 91.7 (1985=100). Both components moved up. The Present Situation Index, based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions, rose 8.6 points to 120.4. The Expectations Index, based on their six-month outlook for income, business and the labor market, rose 6.9 points to 72.6.

Measured against what the Conference Board first published for September, the move looks larger. The first September figures were 81.9 for the headline index, 109.3 for Present Situation and 63.6 for Expectations. The revised September figures implied by October's stated changes are 84.2, 111.8 and 65.7. The Conference Board described the headline revision as slight. At 2.3 points it is larger than most revisions in our compiled series, though smaller than January 2026's unexplained 4.5-point upward revision.

What changed in how consumers see jobs and business?

Views of the labor market improved. The share of consumers saying jobs were "plentiful" rose to 26.7 percent from 24.3 percent in September. The share saying jobs were "hard to get" was unchanged at 21.4 percent. The gap between the two, a closely watched labor market signal, improved by 2.4 points to plus 5.3.

The share saying current business conditions were "bad" fell to 17.8 percent from 20.0 percent. Looking six months ahead, 17.7 percent expected business conditions to improve, up from 16.5 percent, and 20.7 percent expected them to worsen, down from 25.2 percent. On jobs, 15.2 percent expected more to be available, up from 14.7 percent, and 26.3 percent expected fewer, down from 27.6 percent.

Income expectations firmed too. 18.7 percent expected their income to rise, up from 18.1 percent, and 12.0 percent expected it to fall, down from 14.9 percent.

Are consumers planning to buy homes?

Less so, on the Conference Board's own measure. The release says plans to purchase both autos and homes declined slightly in October on a six-month moving average basis. It gives no figure for home buying plans. Consumers also planned less spending on services and durable goods over the next six months.

Rates are the obvious drag. The release says consumers still expected higher interest rates over the next 12 months. Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.32 percent on October 22, down from 7.40 percent the two weeks before, as covered in our mortgage rate report. A rebound in general confidence without a rebound in home buying plans is consistent with a market where households feel better about jobs but still balk at monthly payments.

How does this compare with the University of Michigan survey?

The two main consumer surveys disagree this month. The University of Michigan's final October sentiment index came in at 48.0, as covered in our consumer sentiment report. That was up from its preliminary 46.3 but still near the bottom of its history. The Conference Board index leans more on labor market conditions, and the Michigan index more on personal finances and prices, so they often diverge when jobs hold up and inflation does not. Both are national surveys; neither publishes a Florida breakout.

Inflation expectations remain high on both. The Conference Board's measure of 12-month inflation expectations fell to 5.8 percent in October but, in its words, "remained elevated." Michigan's one-year expectation was 4.7 percent in its final October reading. The two surveys ask different questions, so the levels are not directly comparable.

What does this mean for Florida buyers and sellers?

National confidence data says nothing directly about Florida, but the parts that move home demand are the labor market and rates, and both showed up in this release. Better job perceptions help buyers qualify and commit. Expectations of higher rates push the other way, and the home buying plans measure fell. For Florida sellers, that points to steady traffic without a jump in urgency heading into November. Florida's own unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent in September, covered in our Florida unemployment report.

Current Florida conditions are on the Florida housing tracker and by metro on our market index. September's confidence results are in our September report.

People also ask

What is the consumer confidence index for October 2026?

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index was 91.7 (1985=100) in October 2026, up 7.5 points from a revised 84.2 in September.

Why did consumer confidence go up in October 2026?

The Conference Board attributed the gain to improved perceptions of current and expected conditions. More consumers said jobs were plentiful, fewer said business conditions were bad, and fewer expected business conditions or their incomes to worsen.

Are Americans planning to buy homes?

On a six-month moving average basis, plans to purchase homes declined slightly in October 2026, according to the Conference Board, which published no figure for the measure.

When is the next consumer confidence report?

The Conference Board publishes on the last Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. ET. The November 2026 report is due November 24, 2026.

Limitations

Figures come from the Conference Board's consumer confidence page as updated October 27, 2026, read twice. The September revisions for the Present Situation and Expectations indices are implied from October's stated point changes, not printed values. One sentence on the page about the share rating business conditions "good" was internally inconsistent (it reported a rise as "down from"), so this article does not use that figure.

The historical chart is compiled by Momentum Research from Conference Board releases one month at a time and is not a Conference Board data product. Values before September 2026 are carried from our September chart; gaps are months with no month-labelled published value. Comparisons with earlier months apply only to that compiled series, and chart values read from earlier charts can differ from the published figure by a tenth or two. The survey is national and publishes no state or Florida results. The cutoff date for October responses was not captured.

Sources

The Conference Board, Consumer Confidence Survey, October 2026 release, October 27, 2026.

The Conference Board, Consumer Confidence Survey, September 2026 release, September 29, 2026, for first-published September values.

University of Michigan, Surveys of Consumers, final October 2026 results.

Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, October 22, 2026.

Disclosure: Jon Brooks is a co-founder of Momentum Realty, a Florida real estate brokerage that owns and funds Florida Housing Intelligence. Momentum has a financial interest in Florida real estate transactions, including in markets named here. See our editorial standards.