Although on the decline, Utah still leads the nation in 'social capital'

The Utah Foundation’s Social Capital Index shows that Utah is tops in the U.S. and is grouped favorably with Colorado and some Midwestern and Northeastern states. (Graphic from “Foundations and Frameworks: A Primer on Social Capital and Why It’s Important,” by the Utah Foundation)

Utah often receives headlines because of its national leadership in areas such as its strong economy and its human capital — the skills and labor of its employees — but a new report from the Utah Foundation finds that the state leads the nation in “social capital” as well. 

Social capital refers to the ways people use networks and social connections to benefit themselves and their communities. To determine social capital, social scientists measure how people and groups can use networks and community groups to change the world around them.

The report, from the Utah Foundation’s Social Capital Index project, is called “Foundations and Frameworks: A Primer on Social Capital and Why It’s Important.” It says that social capital can provide individual benefits, such as helping someone find a job, accessing additional resources from friends or family during a stressful economic time, or participating in a group to learn new skills or advance existing ones.

For 2025, Utah has the highest Social Capital Index score in the nation and has consistently been among the top states over the past 12 years.

The project determines a state’s social capital score by gathering data on 34 metrics, sorted into seven categories: civic engagement, social trust, social cohesion, focus on future generations, family health, community life and social mobility. In determining the metrics, the Utah Foundation explored other social capital analyses, including the indices created by the Joint Economic Council and by Harvard University political scientist Robert Putnam.

The study compares Utah to the U.S. at large and to the other Mountain states (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming). It also examines trends over time. The 2025 index shows that Utah is grouped favorably with some Midwestern and Northeastern states. Colorado also performs very well.

This year, Utah ranks first or second in the nation on three of the seven subindices: social trust, family health and community life. Only three other states have more than two subindices in the top five: Minnesota, Maine and New Hampshire.

Utah’s Social Capital Index score stands at 82 out of 100, down from 96 in 2013. This compares to the United States as a whole, which stands at 44 in 2025.

“In places where social capital is robust, it can translate into heightened economic prospects and lower demands on the public sector,” said Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation. “So, while the Beehive State is thriving relative to the nation in terms of social capital, that does not mean we should rest on our laurels. We still have work to do.”

The report found that the largest difference between Utah and the U.S. is with the community life subindex. Utah’s score is 13 compared to zero for the country as a whole.

Much of the decline in Utah’s index score is from three subindices: future generations, family health and community life, report authors said.

The full report, which explores the various indices in detail, including where Utah needs improvement, is accessible on the Utah Foundation’s website, www.utahfoundation.org.