At the core of America is a shared belief that no matter how humble your origins, with hard work and perseverance, you can improve your prospects in life and give your children a shot at a secure and productive future.
But our American Dream is at risk. Too often it’s your zip code that predetermines your destiny.
The Opportunity Index is an annual composite measure at the state and county levels of economic, educational and civic factors that foster opportunity and is designed to help identify concrete solutions to lagging conditions for opportunity and economic mobility. From preschool enrollment to internet access, from volunteerism to access to healthy foods, expanding opportunity depends on the intersection of multiple factors.
The Opportunity Index was jointly developed by Opportunity Nation and Measure of America and measures 16 indicators, scoring all 50 states plus Washington DC on a scale of 0-100 each year. In addition, more than 2,600 counties are graded A-F, giving policymakers and leaders a useful tool to identify areas for improvement and to gauge progress over time.
The Opportunity Index guides all of our work at Opportunity Nation, and is the framework for our gatherings, advocacy, research and messaging.
Visit the interactive Opportunity Index to explore your community’s score.
