(The Center Square) – Utah is the best state for social mobility, while Louisiana is the worst, a report from the Archbridge Institute released this week claims.
The report, “Social Mobility in the 50 States,” defines “social mobility” as “the opportunity to better oneself and those around them in hope of living the American Dream,” according to the Institute.
It ranked the states based on “entrepreneurship and growth; institutions and rule of law; education and skills development; and social capital,” a release said.
In the rankings, Utah performed well in business dynamism (second), parental engagement and stability (third), and charity (sixth). However, it got below-average marks for regulation (27th), predatory state action (27th), and education quality and freedom (29th).
“In ranking Utah first in its index, Archbridge recognizes the state for its business dynamism, parent engagement and stability, and charity, among other factors,” the release said. “States like Louisiana, on the other hand, perform poorly due to taxes, regulations, and other policy measures in need of reform. The Pelican State scores in the bottom 10 for nearly all of the areas measured by Archbridge, ranking last for ‘Institutions and Rule of Law’ and ‘Education and Skills Development.'”
Gonzalo Schwarz, president and CEO of the Archbridge Institute, said states can analyze the report and understand how to help improve social mobility in their respective states.
“The first step toward reform is recognition of where we are today, and Archbridge’s new report will help policymakers — at all levels of government — understand social mobility like never before,” Schwarz said. “Defining social mobility based on four key pillars, our research team has spent many months analyzing all 50 U.S. states, identifying opportunities for growth in the best- and worst-performing states.”
Schwarz and Archbridge research fellow Justin T. Callais, PhD, authored the report.