A new report shows a majority of states are enjoying pre-pandemic levels of prosperity, while Illinois’ score is being dragged down by crime and economic quality.
The American Dream Prosperity Index released by the Legatum Institute looks at 200 indicators gathered from over 90 data sources, including open economies, crime, burden of regulation and living conditions.
The report points out that while the overall trend points to a more prosperous nation, regional prosperity continues to be unequally distributed, often eluding rural communities and Black Americans.
Illinois was ranked as the 24th most prosperous state in the report, up slightly from 2021. The Land of Lincoln ranked 6th in the country for business climate, but received poor scores in the areas of safety and security, at 34th, and economic quality, which ranked the state 48th in the country.
“There is a high rise in gun violence in nearly every state, and that is impacting Americans individual sense of security and prosperity, and you can see that across the index, so whether we’re looking at mass shootings or violent crime, you are seeing that there has been an increase,” said senior advisor Farah Pandith.
Since 2012, mental health has also deteriorated in America, marked by a rise in suicides and opioid-related deaths, even as the country’s overall health continues to improve.
In 2022, 26 states have recovered to pre-pandemic levels of overall prosperity, with Oklahoma, New Jersey and New Mexico seeing the biggest improvement. Reasons for the improvement in these states vary, but economic factors such as the increasing number of entrepreneurs played a key role in the post-pandemic rebound and bodes well for further improvement.
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