Massachusetts residents’ view of the national economy is slightly more positive than it was a year and a half ago, according to a recent survey from the Western New England College Polling Institute.

However, there is still widespread unease about economic conditions, the survey found.

One in five of those surveyed rated the national economy as "very good" or "fairly good," up from 12 percent in October 2009. More than three-quarters (79 percent ) of those rated the national economy as "fairly bad" or "very bad," compared to 88 percent in October 2009 and 95 percent at the height of the economic crisis in November 2008.

"Improvement in confidence in the national economy is incremental at best," said Tim Vercellotti, director of the Polling Institute and an associate professor of political science at Western New England College. "Most Bay State residents still have a gloomy view of the economy."

Over the course of the next year, 35 percent expect the national economy to improve, down from 45 percent in October 2009. Forty-five percent expect the economy to stay the same, compared to 37 percent in October 2009; 19 percent expect the economy to get worse.

Massachusetts residents’ views about personal finances have changed little in the past year and a half, according to the survey. Nearly one-third (30 percent) expect their personal financial position to improve in the next year; 12 percent predicted their financial position would worsen; and 56 percent expect their finances to stay about the same. All of those percentages are within a few points of the October 2009 survey.