U.S. Average Opportunity Score Has Increased Since 2011

The 2013 Opportunity Index was released on October 21. Jointly developed by Measure of America and Opportunity Nation, the Opportunity Index provides an overview of the opportunities available to residents at the state and county level. According to Opportunity Index 2011-2013 Findings, the national average Opportunity Score rose to 50.9 (out of 100) in 2013 from 50.0 in 2012 and 49.6 in 2011. During the three-year period, most states and counties saw an increase in their Opportunity Scores (states) and Opportunity Grades (counties). The Index measures 16 factors covering three dimensions: jobs and local economy, education, and community health and civic life. A majority of states and counties improved or maintained their scores in the jobs and local economy and education dimensions. Progress was weakest in the community health and civic life dimension. The authors found that since 2011, 26 states and Washington, DC improved their opportunity scores, while Connecticut and New Mexico saw a statistically significant decline; the scores of 22 states remained the same over this period. States with the top three opportunity scores are Vermont, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Vermont has high scores in all three dimensions, and it ranks first in community health and civic life, with a score of 77.9. Meanwhile, North Dakota ranked top in jobs and local economy. In this report, the affordable housing factor is part of the jobs and local economy dimension and refers to the percentage of households that spend less than 30% of their household income on housing costs. Compared with the national average of 62.2%, Eureka County in Nevada has the best scores in this category with a rate of 90.6%, while Miami-Dade county of Florida scores the worst with a rate of 43.7%. It was also indicated that among the 31 states that experienced declines in affordable housing scores, 12 of these states are located in the South, accounting for 39% of the nationwide decrease. According to the report, the affordable housing and preschool enrollment factors were least correlated with changes in the Opportunity Index Score, while the percent of teenagers not in school and not working and the percent of the population living below the federal poverty line had the most significant impact on the Opportunity Index Score. View the Opportunity Index 2011-2013 Findings at: http://bit.ly/18CSwYKThe Opportunity Index Interactive Tool is available at: http://bit.ly/19WzJ6N