Live dataState analytics portal

The real problems facing Montana.

We parse public databases to measure issue severity, stripped of political spin. Below is the objective severity of community issues compared with active public narrative focus.

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Longer bar means bigger problem

Problems are ranked by objective severity (hard data) alone, ignoring media hype and political narratives. 0 means the problem does not exist (utopia). 100 means an absolute, catastrophic crisis.

1. Crime & Safety
59.0 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+9.4 above national
2. Political Polarization
54.4 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+4.4 above national
3. Healthcare Access
52.6 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+2.4 above national
4. AI Governance & Automation
50.0 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)At national avg
5. Climate Vulnerability
49.6 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)+0.4 above national
6. Education Quality
49.5 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)At national avg
7. Wage Stagnation & Income Inequality
47.4 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)1.5 below national
8. Government Inefficiency
47.1 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)2.4 below national
9. Cost of Living & Inflation
44.4 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)5.7 below national
10. Water Scarcity
42.7 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)7.0 below national

Comprehensive severity ledger

Detailed breakdown of the raw data, media sentiment, and delta calculations driving the charts above.

Emerging Frictions

AI Governance & Automation
△ Δ 31.8
Objective reality (Gravity)50.0/100
Media focus18.2/100
Montana is facing a significant gap on ai governance & automation (Severity: 50.0), but local politicians and media are receiving limited media coverage (Media: 18.2). The narrative is sleeping on a major problem.
National average
50.0/ 100
At national avg
Gravity50.0
Sentiment18.2
Digital Divide
Insufficient coverage
Objective reality (Gravity)17.3/100
Media focus—
Insufficient media coverage for this problem in this state (1 articles). No reliable sentiment score.
National average
50.7/ 100
-33.4 below national
Gravity17.3
Sentiment—

Economic Reality

Wage Stagnation & Income Inequality
△ Δ 21.6
Objective reality (Gravity)47.4/100
Media focus69.0/100
Media coverage is elevated about wage stagnation & income inequality (Media: 69.0), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 47.4). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.0/ 100
-1.5 below national
Gravity47.4
Sentiment69.0
Cost of Living & Inflation
△ Δ 29.1
Objective reality (Gravity)44.4/100
Media focus73.4/100
Media coverage is elevated about cost of living & inflation (Media: 73.4), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 44.4). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
50.1/ 100
-5.7 below national
Gravity44.4
Sentiment73.4
Food Insecurity
✓ Δ 2.0
Objective reality (Gravity)41.9/100
Media focus43.8/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on food insecurity (41.9 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
48.2/ 100
-6.3 below national
Gravity41.9
Sentiment43.8
Energy Costs
△ Δ 21.5
Objective reality (Gravity)40.9/100
Media focus19.4/100
Montana is facing a significant gap on energy costs (Severity: 40.9), but local politicians and media are receiving limited media coverage (Media: 19.4). The narrative is sleeping on a major problem.
National average
49.9/ 100
-9.1 below national
Gravity40.9
Sentiment19.4
Job Availability
✓ Δ 4.2
Objective reality (Gravity)38.5/100
Media focus42.7/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on job availability (38.5 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.8/ 100
-11.4 below national
Gravity38.5
Sentiment42.7
Housing Affordability
△ Δ 33.7
Objective reality (Gravity)37.4/100
Media focus71.1/100
Media coverage is elevated about housing affordability (Media: 71.1), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 37.4). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.7/ 100
-12.4 below national
Gravity37.4
Sentiment71.1

Social & Public Service Infrastructure

Crime & Safety
· Δ 11.9
Objective reality (Gravity)59.0/100
Media focus47.1/100
There is a modest gap on crime & safety between the hard data (59.0) and media coverage (47.1) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.6/ 100
+9.4 above national
Gravity59.0
Sentiment47.1
Healthcare Access
· Δ 9.0
Objective reality (Gravity)52.6/100
Media focus43.6/100
There is a modest gap on healthcare access between the hard data (52.6) and media coverage (43.6) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
50.1/ 100
+2.4 above national
Gravity52.6
Sentiment43.6
Education Quality
△ Δ 26.8
Objective reality (Gravity)49.5/100
Media focus22.8/100
Montana is facing a significant gap on education quality (Severity: 49.5), but local politicians and media are receiving limited media coverage (Media: 22.8). The narrative is sleeping on a major problem.
National average
49.6/ 100
At national avg
Gravity49.5
Sentiment22.8
Mental Health & Addiction Crisis
△ Δ 21.6
Objective reality (Gravity)33.6/100
Media focus55.1/100
Media coverage is elevated about mental health & addiction crisis (Media: 55.1), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 33.6). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
50.2/ 100
-16.7 below national
Gravity33.6
Sentiment55.1
Transportation & Traffic
· Δ 18.6
Objective reality (Gravity)0.0/100
Media focus31.4/100
There is a modest gap on transportation & traffic between the hard data (0.0) and media coverage (31.4) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
48.5/ 100
-48.5 below national
Gravity0.0
Sentiment31.4

Environmental & Resource Security

Climate Vulnerability
· Δ 10.8
Objective reality (Gravity)49.6/100
Media focus60.4/100
There is a modest gap on climate vulnerability between the hard data (49.6) and media coverage (60.4) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.2/ 100
+0.4 above national
Gravity49.6
Sentiment60.4
Water Scarcity
✓ Δ 5.5
Objective reality (Gravity)42.7/100
Media focus48.2/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on water scarcity (42.7 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.7/ 100
-7.0 below national
Gravity42.7
Sentiment48.2
Grid Reliability
△ Δ 35.7
Objective reality (Gravity)39.4/100
Media focus75.1/100
Media coverage is elevated about grid reliability (Media: 75.1), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 39.4). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.9/ 100
-10.5 below national
Gravity39.4
Sentiment75.1
Pollution & Public Health
△ Δ 29.9
Objective reality (Gravity)38.0/100
Media focus67.9/100
Media coverage is elevated about pollution & public health (Media: 67.9), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 38.0). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
50.2/ 100
-12.1 below national
Gravity38.0
Sentiment67.9

Systemic & Governance Frictions

Political Polarization
· Δ 17.9
Objective reality (Gravity)54.4/100
Media focus72.3/100
There is a modest gap on political polarization between the hard data (54.4) and media coverage (72.3) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
50.0/ 100
+4.4 above national
Gravity54.4
Sentiment72.3
Government Inefficiency
△ Δ 22.0
Objective reality (Gravity)47.1/100
Media focus69.1/100
Media coverage is elevated about government inefficiency (Media: 69.1), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 47.1). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.5/ 100
-2.4 below national
Gravity47.1
Sentiment69.1
Corporate Influence in Politics
✓ Δ 2.4
Objective reality (Gravity)42.2/100
Media focus44.6/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on corporate influence in politics (42.2 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.6/ 100
-7.4 below national
Gravity42.2
Sentiment44.6