In this paper authors analyze results of the study of social well-being of young people, considered as a complex phenomenon that reflects the indicators of satisfaction of the young generation with various aspects of personal and social life, social expectations, ideals and ideas about the prospects of social development. Trend to radical views among young people is assessed as a diagnosed process facilitated by a number of objective socio-economic and political factors. Conclusions in this paper are based on the results of a survey of working youth conducted by the authors in the period from April to June of 2018 in two major industrial regions of Russia - Volgograd oblast and Sverdlovsk oblast. A comparative analysis of youth in these regions revealed general trends of social well-being typical for both regions and features that are specific for these two regions. Also, in this paper authors revealed the main factors of formation of extremist moods in the youth environment, identified zones of high, medium and low tension, which are objective circumstances that cause the growth of discontent and protest, founded that in the situation of negative assessment of life macro-conditions, their inner circle performs a compensatory function for young people.