Reno – Nevadans hold a dim view of the economy, with more than one in four fearing for their jobs, according to a statewide poll released Sunday.

Thirty-nine percent of 600 Nevadans surveyed think it will take „years“ for the economy to rebound. Another 29 percent think a recovery will come in 2009, and 24 percent said 2010.

The poll was conducted Oct. 25-28 for the Reno Gazette-Journal and Channel 2 News by Maryland-based Research 2000. The poll had an error margin of 4 percentage points.

Twenty-six percent of respondents said they were „afraid“ or „very afraid“ of losing their jobs, while 37 percent said they were „not too“ afraid, and 21 percent said they were „not at all“ afraid.

Forty-seven percent said they were „not at all“ optimistic about a housing market rebound within the next year. Another 31 percent were „somewhat“ optimistic, and 8 percent were „very“ optimistic.

Thirty-three percent characterized their economic outlook for 2009 as „dismal.“ Twenty-one percent said they foresee „fits and starts,“ 17 percent a „turnaround“ and 16 percent a „depression.“

„This is pretty serious. The mood is very pessimistic,“ said Tom Cargill, economist at the University of Nevada, Reno. „Until confidence returns, we won’t see a turnaround.“

The current downturn is nowhere near as bad as the Great Depression of the 1930s, said Keith Schwer, economist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

„I think it (downturn) will last through 2010,“ Schwer said. „There’s more pain ahead as unemployment will continue to rise through mid-’09, even into third quarter ’09.“