Only have a minute to reply right now. Will follow up later.
But here is a good source, quick to scan, of info about the current state of the economy: https://www.thebalance.com/us-economic-outlook-3305669 (it's easy to scan or to select the paragraphs of interest).

Regarding your friends in various states: It is well known from tons of polls during the campaign that people who live in the liberal areas of the country are optimistic and people in the red states are pessimistic even if the stats are not bad (see link): We have heard that during a full year during the campaign. It is that feeling (being optimistic or being pessimistic) that determines which news a person is attracted to, which news to believe, which politician to believe, etc. To the educated masses (and the election was basically about college degree voters - vs - no college degree voters) of the coasts, the future is full of potential. To the uneducated masses: the jobs are disappearing (not even going to China, but being replaced by micro chips) and they find their prospects to be depressing. Which in turn prevent them from adapting: They stay where they are, like deer in the spotlight, they don't update their skills/develop new ones. But they make good money: the trump voters are non educated BUT they make an average of US$70K-80K per family, which is good.

Gotta run. More later.