Giving Compass' Take:

• Social Progress Imperative (SPI) released their recent report about quality of life across the US, which ranks every state by factors such as economic equality, inclusivity, education access, medical care and more.

• This is useful to see where the biggest areas of need are in the country, so resources can be directed in a data-driven way. SPI will also help local communities customize their own indexes.

• Among the biggest opportunities for social progress is to end homelessness. Here's one place to start.

We are excited to announce the release of a new Social Progress Index, the first measurement of quality of life that focuses exclusively on social and environmental factors across all 50 American states.

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, the Social Progress Index: US States exposes the gap between today’s quality of life and the American ideal of life, liberty and happiness for all.

None of the five largest state economies (California, New York, Illinois, Florida and Texas) are in the top ten states on social progress. And three of these five don’t even crack the top 30.

The new index shows the growing economy is not working for millions of Americans who face stagnant or declining living standards. Each state is evaluated on how well it provides its people with the things they really care about, including health, safety, shelter, education, rights and freedom.

Read the full article about the Social Progress Index at Social Progress Imperative.