National Peace Indices

Measuring regional differences in peace can deepen our understanding of its key drivers and economic impact.

 

The United States Peace Index (USPI)

The USPI is the first in a series of national peace indices that furthers our understanding of the types of environments associated with peace and identifies the economic impact of increased levels of peacefulness at a regional rather than national level.

In 2011 IEP successfully developed the first national level peace index, focusing on the United States. The USPI ranks the 50 states according to their peacefulness since 1991; by using a range of socio-economic data the index identifies key factors generally associated with peace at the state level.

The USPI was able to contribute significantly to the public debate on the impact of low peacefulness on the US economy at a time when state and federal governments were facing budget constraints. It found a modest reduction in violence in the Unisted States would reap addition economic activity in the region of US$ 272 billion – which is the relative equivalent of creating 2.7 million additional jobs.

The USPI uses the same definition of peace as the Global Peace Index (GPI): peace is the “absence of violence”; the USPI uses five reliable indicators chosen for their ability to be scaled in a consistent way across nations. As these indicators as recorded accurately at the region or state level, it is possible for future comparisons to be made between regions from different nations.

 

Key Findings

  • First-ever ranking of peace in the U.S. shows the nation has become more peaceful since 1995
  • Reductions in violence and crime to levels equal to Canada would yield an estimated $89 billion in direct savings, $272 billion in additional economic activity, and potentially create 2.7 million jobs.
  • New York, California and Texas record highest increases in peace since 1991, while North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana see largest declines
  • Peace is significantly correlated with factors related to  economic opportunity, education and health
  • Peace is politically neutral – neither Republican nor Democratic states have an advantage.

 

Download the report

U.S. Peace Index 2011

 

 

United States Peace Index Portal

Visit the United States Peace Index portal for a map of state rankings, maps of peacefulness over time, a summary of the main issues highlighted in the report, a table of results, regional findings, socio-economic correlations, individual state rankings and more.

Request data

To request IEP data used in the USPI please submit a data request form.

 

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