The Measure of America, 2010-2011, is the definitive report on the
overall well-being of all Americans. How are Americans doing--compared
to one another and compared to the rest of the world? This important,
easy-to-understand guide will provide all of the essential information
on the current state of America.
This fully illustrated report, with over 130 color images, is based on
the groundbreaking American Human Development Index, which provides a
single measure of the well-being for all Americans, disaggregated by
state and congressional district, as well as by race, gender, and
ethnicity. The Index rankings of the 50 states and 435 congressional
districts reveal huge disparities in the health, education, and living
standards of different groups. For example, overall, Connecticut ranked
first among states on the 2008-2009 Index, and Mississippi ranked last,
suggesting that there is a 30-year gap in human development between the
two states. Further, among congressional districts, New York's 14th
District, in Manhattan, ranked first, and California's 20th District,
near Fresno, ranked last. The average resident of New York's 14th
District earned over three times as much as the average resident of
California's 20th District, lived over four years longer, and was ten
times as likely to have a college degree.
The second in the American Human Development Report series, the
2010-2011 edition features a completely updated Index, new findings on
the well-being of different racial and ethnic groups from state to
state, and a closer look at disparities within major metro areas. It
also shines a spotlight on threats to progress and opportunity for some
Americans as well as highlighting tested approaches to
fosteringresilience among different groups.
Using a revelatory framework for explaining the very nature of
humanprogress, this report can be used not only as a way to measure
America but also to build upon past policy successes, protect the
progress made over the last half century from new risks, and create an
infrastructure of opportunity that can serve a new generation of
Americans. Beautifully illustrated with stunning four-color graphics
that allow for a quick visual understanding of often complex but
important issues, The Measure of America is essential reading for
all Americans, especially for social scientists, policy makers, and
pundits who want to understand where Americans stand today.
