The American Dream at a glance: Options and opportunities without obstacles
Where does the Dream stand today? We used a combination of qualitative, ethnographic and quantitative research to find out. Here are key themes that emerged.
Freedom, family and success are key themes
Financial security, personal freedom and homeownership are the top words associated with the Dream in our Future of the American Dream survey, but family and happiness also pop as themes in the qualitative research.
The rungs on the ladder of success are cracking
Most people (80%) already think the Dream is harder to achieve than it used to be. But paths to success through education, investment and homeownership are in doubt.
Younger generations have some very different ideas about the Dream
For older generations, financial security is the top consideration in the Dream. Gen Xers also equally prioritize freedom and homeownership. But for Gen Zers, personal freedom comes first and homeownership, a top consideration for all other generations, ranks 8th.
The growing demographics in the U.S. see the Dream differently
The Asian, Hispanic and Black populations are growing the fastest in the U.S. They mostly share the same top priorities as each other (and white Americans) but in different orders and to different extents.
There’s a lot of common ground
Large majorities agree that each generation should have a higher standard of living (81%). But they also agree the Dream needs to be more realistic (74%), is harder to achieve (80%), and that the economy is rigged (73%). Yet 63% think they will be better off than their parents, regardless.
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