The April 2026 Moral Decay Index score of 62.5 out of 100 places America firmly in the WARNING zone. This month’s composite score is driven significantly by a historic collapse in public trust in federal institutions — now below 20% for the first time in the history of Gallup’s tracking. Here is a full breakdown of this month’s indicators.

What Moved the Needle This Month

Of the eight indicators tracked by the Moral Decay Index, five are currently showing active decay signals. The single largest contributor to this month’s score is the Trust in Government indicator, which registered at its lowest recorded level. Gallup’s April survey found that only 17% of Americans trust the federal government to do the right thing “most of the time” — a figure that would have been unthinkable just two generations ago.

The Church Attendance indicator remains in decay territory, with weekly attendance continuing its multi-decade decline. The Divorce Rate indicator holds steady in the warning zone, while the High School Dropout Rate and Police Corruption indicators both reflect ongoing systemic challenges.

“A score of 62.5 in the WARNING zone means that more than half of our tracked indicators are showing active decay. This is not a crisis yet — but the trajectory demands attention. Warning zones become crisis zones when warning signs are ignored.”

The Trust Collapse in Detail

Public trust in institutions is arguably the most foundational indicator in our index. Without trust in shared institutions — government, courts, law enforcement, media, education — the social contract that makes civil society possible begins to dissolve. People who do not trust institutions do not cooperate with them, do not support them, and ultimately seek alternatives that may be far more destructive.

The current trust collapse is not partisan — it cuts across political affiliations, age groups, and demographics. Republicans distrust a Democratic administration. Democrats distrust the judiciary. Independents distrust everyone. The common thread is not ideology — it is a systemic failure of institutions to demonstrate integrity, competence, and accountability.

The Three Stable Indicators

It is important to note the indicators that are holding steady. Violent crime, while elevated above pre-2020 levels, has not continued its post-pandemic climb and shows signs of stabilizing. The Teenage Pregnancy rate remains at historically low levels — a genuine success story of decades of public health effort. The Abortion Rate indicator is holding relatively flat nationally, though with significant state-level variation following recent legal changes.

These stable indicators matter. They represent areas where American society is holding the line — and they remind us that the story of moral and social health is not uniformly grim. Progress is possible. It requires sustained effort, honest data, and the willingness to act on what the evidence shows.

What to Watch Next Month

The Moral Decay Index will be watching three specific developments heading into May 2026. First, whether the trust in government figure shows any signs of recovery or continues to fall. Second, whether urban violent crime rates — which have shown some recent stabilization — hold steady or resume their post-pandemic climb. Third, new graduation rate data from several major urban school districts will allow us to update the High School Dropout indicator with fresh figures.

We publish our full methodology, data sources, and indicator weights publicly. If you have questions about how we calculate the index or want to suggest additional indicators for consideration, contact us directly. Transparency is not optional — it is the foundation of everything we do here.