American well‑being has fallen to levels not seen in more than a decade, and hope about the future has dropped to its lowest point since Gallup began tracking it in 2008. Yet a new report released today by Gallup and The Rippel Foundation argues that decline is not destiny. Across the country, communities are already using well‑being data to understand local conditions, bring residents and leaders together, and chart a different course.
The report, Thriving Together in America: Trends, Discoveries, Community Action, and Advice for Leaders, draws on Gallup’s national well‑being data plus insights from practitioners working to reverse the slide. It paints a sobering picture of the nation’s present trajectory—but additionally highlights local efforts that show how communities can strengthen the vital conditions that support thriving.
Well‑Being Is Falling — and Hope Is Falling With It
Gallup finds that just 48.1% of U.S. adults were “thriving” in the third quarter of 2026, down more than 10 percentage points from the 2021 peak and approaching historic lows. Hope — measured by expectations for future life — stands at 59.4%, essentially unchanged from last year’s all‑time low.
The declines are not evenly distributed. Young adults ages 18 to 29 have experienced the sharpest deterioration: from the highest‑thriving age group in 2010 (64%) to the lowest in 2026 (44%). Thriving levels have also converged across racial and ethnic groups, but the convergence reflects broad declines rather than shared improvement.
Place is still a powerful determinant. Some counties approach 70% prospering while others hover near or below 40%, underscoring how national averages may obscure the actual realities shaping people’s lives.
“The report’s data confirm what we already know: division, othering, and turning away from each other are bad for our well‑being,” said Becky Payne, President and CEO of The Rippel Foundation. “The steep declines are a clarion call, but in no way a verdict on our future.”
Communities Already Changing the Trajectory
The report profiles 14 communities using well‑being measurement not simply to document challenges but to guide action. Their experiences point to a shared lesson: data becomes most powerful when assessed alongside resident knowledge and used to inform decisions over time.
In Greater Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center partnered with Gallup to build one of the nation’s most comprehensive regional well‑being measurement systems. The data now informs decisions on food security, youth well‑being, and juvenile justice — demonstrating how granular insights shall shape policy and investment.
“Community measurement isn't just about tracking a number; it's about giving leaders and residents a shared, more granular perspective of their own conditions,” said Dan Witters, Research Director of the Gallup National Health and Well‑Being Index. That shared perspective, he said, helps communities move from a general sense of decline to specific, actionable priorities.
“Well‑being data can be both a mirror on the past and a map toward a better future,” added Bobby Milstein, Director of System Strategy at The Rippel Foundation.
Four Drivers of Thriving
The report identifies four drivers that shape whether communities thrive:
- Belonging and civic muscle — Opportunities for people to show up for one another strengthen connection to place.
- Vital conditions — From food and water to humane housing and social connection, these necessities form the foundation for long‑term well‑being.
- Fairness in systems — Redesigning systems so opportunity is not determined by identity or starting point.
- Effective urgent services — Meeting immediate needs without allowing emergency responses to crowd out long‑term solutions.
Communities aligning around these drivers are already showing measurable gains. But the report stresses that no single institution — not government, philanthropy, business, or health systems — can create these conditions alone. Progress requires cross-sector coordination and a common understanding of what residents need.
A Call to Measure, Learn, and Act
The report urges leaders to begin by measuring well‑being locally — not to produce a scorecard, but to start a conversation. Sustained improvement, it argues, will come from communities learning from one another, acting on what they find, and coordinating across sectors.
The full report, Thriving Together in America: Trends, Discoveries, Community Action, and Advice for Leaders, is available here.
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