Fewer Americans than ever expect the U.S. economy to be stronger in five years, while the number who think it will be stronger 12 months from now is little changed from findings over the past three years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of American Adults think the economy will be stronger in five years. That's down from 44% in December and the first time this finding has fallen below the 40% mark in four years of regular surveying. In February of last year, 47% predicted that the economy would be stronger in five years' time. In January 2009, 62% felt that way.

Thirty-one percent (31%) now expect the economy to be weaker in five years, compared to 21% in February 2012. Twelve percent (12%) think the economy will remain about the same, while 18% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 30-31, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.