Trust is critical for social cohesion and economic growth, yet only a quarter of Americans say that most people can be trusted. Americans’ belief that others can be trusted has reached a historic low, declining 47 percent from 1984 through 2022. Northern Virginia is not immune to these national trends. Our Insight Region® Report revealed that social trust in Northern Virginia reached a 5-year low in 2022. Only 33% of Northern Virginian’s believed that most people could be trusted. In the past 3 years, Northern Virginian’s belief that others will be helpful declined 18 percent.
On February 9, 2024, the Community Foundation discussed these alarming trends in a presentation at George Mason University during the 2024 Shape of the Region Conference. You can access the powerpoint slides here. A recording of the presentation at Shape of the Region, and a PDF of the presentation are available below.
You can view a list of our 19 presenting partners here. Join the Elevate NOVA Book Circle here.
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Social Trust in Northern Virginia
February 12, 2024
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