Pre-Pandemic Prosperity Returns, But It’s Unequally Distributed: Study

ACROSS AMERICA — Despite the economic realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, untamed inflation and gun violence, Americans are largely enjoying pre-pandemic levels of prosperity, according to a new study.

Although the American Dream Prosperity Index points to a more prosperous nation, prosperity is unequally distributed, the Legatum Institute and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream said in a Tuesday news release announcing the index rankings.

Prosperity — defined as an environment in which all people are able to reach their ful potential — continues to be unequally distributed, often eluding rural communities and Black Americans, the two organizations said. North Dakota stood alone in achieving no prosperity gains.

Other key findings:

• High and rising gun crime, across all but six states, is impacting Americans’ individual sense of their security.
• Mental health levels have weakened in all states.
• A continuing decline in social cohesion and group relationships at all levels of America’s society risks finding common ground to address barriers to prosperity.

Also, the report’s sponsoring organizations said, stubborn inflation growing at the fastest pace in four decades and raising the price of almost everything threatens further progress in overcoming the effects of the pandemic.

More than 90 data sources and 200 indicators were used in the analysis to provide a deep look at prosperity across the 50 states and District of Columbia. Read more about the index.

Oklahoma, New Jersey and New Mexico were the leaders among 26 states that saw pre-pandemic levels of overall prosperity. Among a variety of economic factors, entrepreneurs played the biggest role.

Within that group, only New Jersey was among the states with the highest overall prosperity rankings. The Top 10:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. Minnesota
4. New Hampshire
5. Utah
6. Vermont
7. New Jersey
8. Wisconsin
9. Washignton
10. Colorado

States were scored across the 11 categories:

• Safety and security
• Personal freedom
• Governance
• Social capital
• Business environment
• Infrastructure
• Economic quality
• Living conditions
• Health
• Education
• Natural environment

The prosperity index is intended as a data-rich tool to guide better decisions by state and county leaders, policymakers, business leaders and other influencers, as well as private citizens.