One out of three Connecticut residents believe the state’s overall quality of life is declining, according to a new survey by Sacred Heart University’s Institute for Public Policy.

The survey, which queried 1,000 Connecticut residents between Oct. 3 -12, found 30.3 percent of respondents citing a decline in the quality of life within the state, while more than 3 out of 5 respondents found it “very” or “somewhat difficult” to maintain their standard of living.

Nearly half of respondents who reported making more than $150,000 per year said they are considering moving out of Connecticut within the next five years. Among all income groups, the “high overall cost of living” and “high overall tax burden” were identified as the greatest problems for Connecticut residents.

When asked what could be done to improve Connecticut’s livability, 76.4 percent of respondents suggested that the state should offer more incentives in the form of tax credits and rebates in order to attract and retain businesses, while 84.4 percent of respondents said municipalities should merge and consolidate public services to help cut costs.

“The state is at a critical crossroads, and it appears obvious from the results of this survey that residents are experiencing a high degree of anxiety over the state’s budget battles, taxes and the cost of living in Connecticut,” said Lesley A. DeNardis, director of the Institute for Public Policy and the master of public administration program that will launch in fall 2018.

“Analysis indicates that public awareness and frustration over bipartisan bickering and the state’s failure to reach reasonable compromises that might help reverse declining income and quality of life will lead to residents ‘voting with their feet’ in the coming years.”

The university partnered with GreatBlue Research Inc. of Cromwell in coordinating the survey. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.02 percent.