A Partnership with MCAAD and Gallup
State of the American Dream
Data is revealing. It helps us see past anecdotes and peer into broad patterns of what people think and what they experience. The American Dream does not exist without the stories of the millions of people who have worked for generations to make a better life. Exploring data around progress informs how we continue to advance the Dream.
Stories move us, and data informs us.”
MCAAD Founder Michael Milken
In partnership with Gallup, we embarked on a national survey to better understand perceptions of the American Dream. The findings are featured among other sources in our Hall of Dreams through a dynamic data visualization wall showcasing the complexity and resilience of the Dream.
In our data visualization, we examine the American Dream through a variety of lenses:
- Perceptions of the Dream – How do Americans define the Dream and how confident are they in achieving different aspects of it?
- Freedom and Rights – What freedoms underpin the American Dream and are they equally available to all?
- Business Trends – Do Americans have access to capital to advance their aspirations?
- The Personal Experience – How much do aspects of daily life matter to the American Dream?
- Immigration and Expansion – What does the American Dream mean on a global scale and what does it look like for immigrants?
- Innovating for the Future – How do we create the next chapter of the American Dream?
The inaugural MCAAD-Gallup American Dream Study was conducted in 2024 and with a nationally representative sample of more than 6,700 US adults. The survey is part of a broader collaboration between Gallup and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream to conduct an annual study over the next five years on how Americans experience the American Dream.
We are eager to track what stays constant, where we see shifts, and whether new questions surface for Americans around the idea of the American Dream. New data and trends will be reflected here on our website and in the Center's exhibits. Preliminary results of the 2026 survey are now available.