About the Moral Decay Index
Who we are, what we track, and why it matters for America’s future.
Our Mission
The Moral Decay Index exists for one purpose: to cut through the noise and give Americans a clear, honest, data-driven picture of the social health of their nation — without a political agenda, without spin, and without hiding from uncomfortable truths.
We believe that a society cannot address problems it refuses to measure. Every indicator we track is chosen because the research consensus on its importance to social health is strong, the data is publicly available and verifiable, and the trend is being systematically undercovered by mainstream political and media institutions.
What We Believe
Data-Driven
Every claim is sourced from government data, peer-reviewed research, or major academic institutions.
Non-Partisan
We follow the data wherever it leads. Social decay is not a left or right issue — it is an American issue.
Regularly Updated
The index is reviewed and updated as new data becomes available, typically on a monthly basis.
Free Access
All research and analysis is free to read. We believe informed citizens should not face a paywall.
The 8 Indicators
Our current index tracks eight core social health indicators: Church Attendance, Marriage Rate, Family Structure, Violent Crime, Media & Civic Trust, Civic Literacy, Drug Overdose Crisis, and Social Trust. Each is scored based on directional trend, severity relative to historical norms, and impact on broader social outcomes.
We are actively expanding the index to include additional signals as research and data quality allow.
Who Runs This
The Moral Decay Index is an independent editorial publication. We are not affiliated with any political party, think tank, religious organization, or advocacy group. Our funding comes from reader support and ethical advertising only.
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