Midwestern states varied widely in key metrics before the coronavirus pandemic forced lockdowns and shuttered businesses, according to a new study by a London, England-based think tank.

The second annual United States Prosperity Index (USPI), released Tuesday by the Legatum Institute, concludes the country was experiencing its highest ever prosperity in the 10 years preceding the outbreak of the coronavirus, with the beginning of 2020 the crest of the economic boom.

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