The University of New Hampshire studied how well people in their state connect with each other and participate in their communities. This is called 'civic health.' The researchers looked at six main areas: how people connect with others, trust in government and neighbors, civic awareness and participation, feeling like they belong and matter, voting in elections, and volunteering or giving money to help others. They found some concerning trends from 2019 to 2024.
People feel like they matter less to their communities and are connecting less with others. Trust in both local and national government stays low. However, over half of residents do engage across different races and cultures, which is positive.
The study also found that people in cities vote less than those in suburbs or rural areas in national elections. This report helps communities understand their civic health so they can work to make it stronger. The research covers the time period that included COVID-19, social justice movements, the 2020 election, and January 6th attack on the Capitol.