Just over three months remain before the November presidential election. At present, it is a dead heat amongst the key suburban voters between President Barack Obama and the presumptive Republican candidate Mitt Romney, says a new Hofstra University poll.

In the poll, 844 suburban registered voters indicated that both Romney and Obama had 46% of the vote. However, the former Governor of Massachusetts was leading amongst independent voters with 45% of the vote to 41% for Obama. The survey however, showed Obama was improving as he trailed amongst suburban voters 48% to 40% in the last poll conducted back in November of last year.

With Obama leading with urban voters and Romney amongst rural voters, the suburbs will likely decide who wins the election in November, said one political analyst. The poll, the sixth of its kind, showed that urban voters favored the President 57% to 40% over Romney. Among all the registered voters, Obama is in front 49% to 45%. The poll also said that 25% of registered voters still could change their vote.

Obama is in front among suburban minorities, women, young voters and voters with a college degree or higher. Romney’s advantage is among Caucasian, suburban men, those older than 35 and those that have some college education.

Amongst 1,005 suburban residents who were interviewed, including 844 who were registered and 161who had not registered, 33% said they felt worse off financially at present than four years ago. Just 28% said they were better off and 37% said they felt no change in their condition fiscally.

The suburbs remain very unhappy with the direction in which the country is headed, as 71% expressed disappointment and 25% expressing satisfaction.