Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
State of the Nation Project Ranks Minnesota No. 1 in Quality of Life Across 31 Measures
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6

State of the Nation Project Ranks Minnesota No. 1 in Quality of Life Across 31 Measures

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6

Summary

  • Minnesota topped a new State of the Nation Project study that ranked states on residents’ quality of life, using 31 measures spanning health, education and hope.
  • Douglas Harris, the Tulane economist leading the project, said the findings still point to a broader national problem: self-reported well-being and mental health are declining across nearly every part of the country.
  • Trust is also weakening nationwide, both in institutions and among fellow Americans, leaving even the top-ranked state moving in the wrong direction on children, families and mental health.
  • The bipartisan project drew on scholars and advisers to the last five presidents, including Donald Trump, framing Minnesota less as an exception than as a model amid a wider U.S. slide.

Insights

Why is even America's top-ranked state for quality of life facing a decline in well-being?
When economic growth fails to improve happiness, how should we redefine and measure a nation's success?
As US mental health declines, could a UK model of 'social prescribing' offer a proven solution?