A poll released on June 8, 2026, by AP-NORC indicates that confidence in the American dream has decreased, with only 34% of respondents believing it is achievable. This figure shows a decline from previous years, including a 31% belief reported in a Wall Street Journal-NORC poll last fall. The poll highlights that Republicans are more likely to believe in the American dream (57%) compared to independents (24%) and Democrats (17%). Additionally, men (39%) are more likely to believe in it than women (29%), and older adults show more belief than younger adults.
The trend shows a steady decline in belief in the American dream, with 53% of respondents affirming it in 2012, dropping to 42% in 2014. A Marist poll in 2016 indicated that 53% believed the middle class was dead, while a Harvard poll that same year found that only 49% of millennials thought the American dream was alive. By 2023, only 36% believed in the American dream, according to a Wall Street Journal and University of Chicago NORC poll.
The latest AP-NORC poll was conducted as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary. President Donald Trump has focused on restoring the American dream through housing reform, aiming to inspire a renewed appreciation for American history and innovation. The poll was conducted from April 16 to 20, 2026, with a sample size of 2,596 adults and a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.
