States with less local news have higher rates of loneliness

States with fewer local journalists exhibit higher rates of loneliness, according to the 2026 Local Journalist Index released this week by Muck Rack and the Rebuild Local News Coalition. The report highlights a significant decline in the number of working local journalists over the past 25 years, with remaining coverage often prioritizing crime and sports over civic issues like health and education. A working paper by Danny Hayes and Anusha Trivedi, cited in the index, found that loneliness is more prevalent in states with weaker local news ecosystems, even when controlling for rural population density. This correlation persists as individuals who infrequently consume local journalism report greater loneliness compared to regular readers. The researchers propose that local news cultivates community attachment and a sense of belonging, which can mitigate social isolation. The Local Journalist Index further supports this by comparing states with similar rural populations but differing local journalist concentrations. In these comparisons, states with a higher density of local journalists showed loneliness levels 3 to 8 percentage points lower. Steven Waldman, founder of Rebuild Local News, suggests that local news plays a crucial role in fostering these community connections.