Released by the State of the Nation Project, a group of scholars from across the political spectrum, the “State of the States” report analyzed 31 measures of national well-being across 14 topic areas, from mental health and education to income, violence, and trust. A picture emerges of a country where economic growth has become untethered from actual human happiness, and where not a single state is improving on life satisfaction.
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New England and the western Midwest consistently topped the charts, while the South posted the lowest average rankings across the board.

8 of the bottom 11 states are in the South. Tennessee ranks 41st in national well-being.