As the U.S. celebrates Independence Day, national pride is at a historic low. But new data reveal that belief in the American Dream remains alive and well.
Roughly “7 in 10 Americans are optimistic about the American Dream,” according to the annual American Dream Snapshot released by the Archbridge Institute, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to lifting barriers to human flourishing. The majority of respondents also believe the concept of the American Dream has the power to unite Americans “around a shared belief, regardless of…different backgrounds and viewpoints,” revealing remarkable resiliency for one of the oldest and strongest national themes.
From a sample size of 2,131 Americans across the country surveyed in May, 69 percent of respondents, regardless of race, income, or education, “say they have either achieved the American Dream or are on their way to achieving it,” according to the survey. “Only 30% of people think the American Dream is out of reach.” The snapshot’s results reveal a 2 percent increase in optimism compared to last year’s findings, which revealed some of the highest rates of pessimism found by Archbridge since it began its snapshot report in 2020. While the improvement in this year’s results is noteworthy, overall pessimism is still higher than previously found in 2023.
Considering that each American has a nuanced understanding of what their unique American Dream is, Archbridge dug deeper into what respondents believe are the essential ingredients to achieving success. Contrary to more materialistic caricatures of the American Dream, only 15 percent—4 percent less than last year—said becoming wealthy was essential. Retiring comfortably, owning a home, having a successful career, and making valuable contributions to the community all ranked higher on the priority list for many Americans. But what respondents believe to be the most essential are “freedom of choice in how to live” (83 percent) and “having a good family life” (80 percent).
Although the strong positivity among Americans is striking, negativity does exist—particularly among younger generations. Of adults in the United States between 18 and 29 years of age, 39 percent believe the American Dream is out of reach, almost double that of adults over 60 (20 percent). Across the pessimistic cohort, nearly six in 10 cited poor economic conditions, including rising housing prices, costs of living, and low wages, as the most significant barrier to achieving success.
Included in those financial barriers are increased tariffs. According to the snapshot, “more than half (58%) of Americans believe recent tariff increases will make it more difficult for them to achieve the American Dream,” and “only 12% say the tariffs will help them.”
Predictably, Republicans are more optimistic about the tariff increases than Democrats, but perhaps surprisingly, the Trump administration’s tariff policies are “unpopular even among those with less education and income, the groups purported to benefit” the most. Given two stories to choose from—President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” or economists’ dire warnings—survey results show that the majority of the American people sided with the economists.
Meanwhile, about half of Americans are less wary of, but not quite sold on, the effects artificial intelligence (AI) will have on future economic conditions. Most Americans, 51 percent, believe AI technology will not affect their American Dream pursuits, while 31 percent believe it will actively stand in their way of achieving success. Only 16 percent responded that AI will help them achieve their American Dream goals, with younger generations being slightly more pessimistic than older Americans.
Americans still believe strongly in the American Dream and the opportunities available in the United States. Although economic conditions and uncertainty deflate optimism among younger Americans, these barriers are man-made and therefore, can be overcome. That is, if the government gets out of the way and allows Americans to reach their full potential.
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