A recent nationwide analysis places New Mexico near the bottom of state rankings for key indicators of quality of life, including education, violence, and youth mental health. The findings come from the State of the Nation Project, a nonpartisan initiative that assessed 50 states and Washington D.C. across 31 measures related to well-being, ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The project, compiled by a board of academics and advisors who have served the five most recent U.S. presidents, evaluated factors ranging from youth depression and air quality to income inequality, social isolation, life expectancy, and the proportion of young adults either employed or enrolled in school. The report reveals widespread declines in self-reported well-being across nearly all states, though New Mexico’s ranks are particularly low.

According to the report, New Mexico scored worst in the nation after Louisiana in overall rankings. Specific categories where the state ranked near the bottom include hourly earnings growth (50th), murder rate and academic test scores (49th), the percentage of children living with a single parent (48th), shootings and suicide rate (47th), youth depression (45th), and the share of young adults working or attending school (44th). The state’s relatively better standing was in child mortality, where it ranked 20th nationally.

New Mexico officials have recently underscored concerns about the high number of young people not engaged in work or education. A Legislative Finance Committee report estimates that approximately 32,000 young New Mexicans are neither employed nor enrolled in school, representing an annual economic loss of about $623 million.

Douglas N. Harris, a Tulane University professor leading the State of the Nation Project, noted that while most states are experiencing declines in these well-being measures, New Mexico’s starting points are especially low and its conditions are deteriorating. He stated, “Almost all states are going downhill, or at least not improving, in the areas in the nation where the nation is going downhill.”

The study also highlights that states with higher income per capita do not necessarily report better personal well-being or lower rates of depression. Minnesota, which topped the overall rankings and showed strong economic productivity, nonetheless ranked poorly in youth depression (43rd) and greenhouse gas emissions (38th). Harris attributed some of these trends to a national cultural disposition toward dissatisfaction and striving, which can suppress positive self-assessments of life satisfaction.

Looking ahead, the research team plans to explore the root causes behind the nationwide decline in well-being scores. Harris suggested that factors such as social media and smartphone use, especially their role in exposing users to polarizing content, could be significant drivers. He also expressed concern over the report’s finding of low trust in democracy among Americans, describing it as “appalling and worrisome,” especially compared to other countries where belief in democracy tends to be stronger.

The State of the Nation Project’s comprehensive report underscores growing challenges across multiple dimensions of social and economic health, with New Mexico among the states facing the most severe struggles.