9 of Top 10 States for Families are Republican, 8 of Bottom 10 are Democrat
April 14, 2026
Residents of nine red Great Plains and Mountain West states report the highest levels of marital happiness and fertility, but eight blue coastal states dominate the bottom 10, according to a new study examining key family factors in achieving the American Dream.
“Concern about the American Dream is well-known, but what is less known is that men, women and children are more likely to realize the American Dream when they are a part of strong and stable families, and the Dream is in better health in states and communities where families are flourishing,” reports the 2026 edition of the Family Structure Index compiled jointly by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) and the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV).
