Regional social capital as a modernization factor

National and regional development through modernization and competitiveness is very important. The concept of social capital is a very suitable theory for substantiating the approaches to finding solutions to the problems that any country is facing. This concept helps identify available resources for development and evaluate non-economic development factors. Modern science has shown that social capital is a resource influencing economic growth and the creation of public goods. However, despite its popularity, the concept of social capital has not yet been firmly established. In addition, stable indicators for its measurement have not been formed yet. Domestic science is characterized by insufficient attention to the study of social capital nationwide and in the regions. The study of the concept of “social capital” is important for understanding the processes going on in the society. The article analyzes individual indicators that measure social capital in the context of the concept of social capital; it is noted that the trust index is the most stable among them; it characterizes one of the structural components of social capital. The empirical base of the study includes the public opinion monitoring conducted by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS in the Vologda Oblast and containing the data on the measurement of some of the indicators. Based on the analysis of existing sociological and statistical data, it is possible to determine the predominant type of social capital in the region. The data obtained can be used for further analysis of the possibilities of using social capital of the regional community to restore its competitiveness in overcoming the crisis.