Blab News
State of the States Report Shows Nationwide Similarities Amid Rising Well-Being Concerns
When the State of the Nation Project released its latest “State of the States” report over the weekend, the headline didn’t surprise anyone: most U.S. states face the same well‑being challenges.
The bipartisan research team sifted through more than 4,000 data points across 31 measures that span children and families, citizenship and democracy, state economies, the environment, and public trust. Each state is ranked on every measure, and the report tracks how those rankings have shifted over time.
Minnesota tops the list overall, followed by New Hampshire, Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Utah. In contrast, California, Texas, Florida, and New York fall toward the bottom, ranking 28th, 33rd, 35th, and 26th respectively. The project’s interactive map lets users drill down into state‑specific data or view national heat maps for topics such as test scores, voter participation, life expectancy, or murder rates.
According to Douglas Harris, an economist at Tulane University and board chair of the State of the Nation Project, "There's a lot in here to suggest that we shouldn't be as divided as we are, because we face, for the most part, the same problems and the same challenges." Harris added that geography matters but is not destiny. States in the western Midwest and New England perform better on average across the 31 measures, yet the pattern is not uniform. Southern states, for example, rank higher than their overall position would suggest on personal well‑being measures such as life satisfaction.
The report highlights several troubling trends. No state is improving on an alarming number of measures, including life satisfaction, depression, trust in the federal government, and income inequality. All states, however, are improving on child mortality and state total income. Harris noted that "The fact that essentially no state is improving on almost any of the subjective well‑being measures is really important and worrisome." He also pointed out that economic growth does not appear to translate into better personal well‑being, trust in other people, trust in government, or trust in science.
In terms of convergence and divergence, the study finds that states are becoming more similar on 17 measures and more different on 13. Harris said that the divergence in lived experiences may help explain why Americans feel divided even as many national indicators improve.
The State of the Nation Project released a similar report last year that compared the United States to other countries on many of the same measures. The project’s broader goal is to understand how the country is doing and to motivate change. Harris emphasized that change most often occurs at the state and local level, making the state‑focused analysis timely.
The report was released by the State of the Nation Project, which is backed by a bipartisan group of experts. The project’s findings are intended to inform policymakers, researchers, and the public about the current state of American life and to encourage targeted improvements.
The study’s data set, interactive tools, and detailed methodology are publicly available on the project’s website. The report’s release comes amid ongoing discussions about state policy responses to economic inequality, mental health, and public trust.
In summary, the State of the States report shows that while the United States is experiencing economic gains, many states are not making progress on key measures of personal well‑being and trust. The findings suggest that addressing these gaps will require coordinated action at the state level, where policy changes are most likely to take effect.
The bipartisan research team sifted through more than 4,000 data points across 31 measures that span children and families, citizenship and democracy, state economies, the environment, and public trust. Each state is ranked on every measure, and the report tracks how those rankings have shifted over time.
Minnesota tops the list overall, followed by New Hampshire, Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Utah. In contrast, California, Texas, Florida, and New York fall toward the bottom, ranking 28th, 33rd, 35th, and 26th respectively. The project’s interactive map lets users drill down into state‑specific data or view national heat maps for topics such as test scores, voter participation, life expectancy, or murder rates.
According to Douglas Harris, an economist at Tulane University and board chair of the State of the Nation Project, "There's a lot in here to suggest that we shouldn't be as divided as we are, because we face, for the most part, the same problems and the same challenges." Harris added that geography matters but is not destiny. States in the western Midwest and New England perform better on average across the 31 measures, yet the pattern is not uniform. Southern states, for example, rank higher than their overall position would suggest on personal well‑being measures such as life satisfaction.
The report highlights several troubling trends. No state is improving on an alarming number of measures, including life satisfaction, depression, trust in the federal government, and income inequality. All states, however, are improving on child mortality and state total income. Harris noted that "The fact that essentially no state is improving on almost any of the subjective well‑being measures is really important and worrisome." He also pointed out that economic growth does not appear to translate into better personal well‑being, trust in other people, trust in government, or trust in science.
In terms of convergence and divergence, the study finds that states are becoming more similar on 17 measures and more different on 13. Harris said that the divergence in lived experiences may help explain why Americans feel divided even as many national indicators improve.
The State of the Nation Project released a similar report last year that compared the United States to other countries on many of the same measures. The project’s broader goal is to understand how the country is doing and to motivate change. Harris emphasized that change most often occurs at the state and local level, making the state‑focused analysis timely.
The report was released by the State of the Nation Project, which is backed by a bipartisan group of experts. The project’s findings are intended to inform policymakers, researchers, and the public about the current state of American life and to encourage targeted improvements.
The study’s data set, interactive tools, and detailed methodology are publicly available on the project’s website. The report’s release comes amid ongoing discussions about state policy responses to economic inequality, mental health, and public trust.
In summary, the State of the States report shows that while the United States is experiencing economic gains, many states are not making progress on key measures of personal well‑being and trust. The findings suggest that addressing these gaps will require coordinated action at the state level, where policy changes are most likely to take effect.
