Where Does Wisconsin Rank On the American Dream Prosperity Index?

WISCONSIN — Even though the COVID-19 brought economic turmoil, and despite the recent inflation and gun violence wracking America, residents of Wisconsin are enjoying pre-pandemic levels of prosperity, according to a new study.

In fact, Wisconsinites are seeing prosperity at a level just above what they saw before the pandemic. The Badger State ranks No. 8 in overall prosperity in the American Dream Prosperity Index study released Wednesday by the Legatum Institute and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream.

While the overall trend points to a more prosperous nation, the organizations said, prosperity is unequally distributed, eluding rural communities and Black Americans, the report’s sponsoring 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.

Here are Wisconsin’s scores across the 11 categories considered for the study:

Safety and security: No. 13.
Personal freedom: No. 8.
Governance: No. 7.
Social capital: No. 6.
Business environment: No. 7.
Infrastructure: No. 31.
Economic quality: No. 14.
Living conditions: No. 24.
Health: No. 17.
Education: No. 11.
Natural environment: No. 26.

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.

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.