A majority of Americans, fifty-five percent, have said that either the economy in general or unemployment in particular is the most important problem facing the country in 2011, according to an average of Gallup’s tracking poll results from January to May. Meanwhile, only thirteen percent of Americans have said that the federal budget deficit is the most important problem during a period where discussion of the deficit dominated the agenda in Washington.

Those who cited the deficit as the most important problem were more likely to be male, white and making over $75,000 a year. No more than one fifth of any of these demographics said that the deficit was the most important problem. Some groups have a startlingly low likelihood of caring most about the deficit; for example, only five percent of black Americans say that the deficit is the most important issue.

On average, twenty-six percent of the public said that unemployment was the most important issue. Respondents most concerned with jobs were more likely to be black, elderly and lower-income. Eleven percent of the public said that government failure or corruption was the number one problem, while ten percent said it was a health care-related issue.

Here’s the breakdown of the poll by demographic: