Consumer sentiment across New York state weakened in March for the second month in a row, the Siena Research Institute reported Wednesday, as miserable weather and hefty heating bills took their toll.

“What a winter,” said Doug Lonnstrom, professor of statistics and finance at Siena College and founding director of the institute, who said consumers endured storms, cold temperatures, “and those heating bills.”

The index fell 2.4 points to 73.9, where 76 is the break-even point with optimism and pessimism in balance. Nationally, the index was down 1.6 points to 80.0, still a hefty 6.1 points above the state level. The national index is calculated by the University of Michigan.

Those feeling the most confident were upper-income respondents, those with a household income topping $100,000, at 84.4; Democrats, with an index of 82.5, and those with household incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, at 81.3

At the other end of the scale, Republicans were least confident at 67.7, followed by those with incomes under $50,000 at 68.2, and upstate residents at 68.8.

A separate section of the survey found 57 percent of respondents worried about gasoline prices in March, up six percentage points from February, while those concerned about food prices climbed five points to 68 percent of respondents. It was the highest level for gasoline price since September and for food prices since May.

Economists believe that consumer confidence correlates with consumers’ willingness to spend, an activity that makes up more than two-thirds of the nation’s overall economic activity.