Most Americans still believe in the American Dream, but many think it has become harder to reach and, for some, is no longer meant for everyone. A YouGov poll for The Times found that 61 percent of respondents still believe in the idea, while 59 percent said it is less achievable today than when they were growing up.
The poll, conducted Jan. 23 to Jan. 26 among 1,821 adults and carrying a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points, found a sharp partisan divide on whether the dream is still universal. Fifty-seven percent of Republicans said the American Dream exists for everyone, compared with 28 percent of Democrats. Among Democrats, 14 percent said it exists for themselves but not for others, while 17 percent said it exists for others but not for themselves. Among Republicans, 5 percent said it exists for themselves but not for others, and 12 percent said it exists for others but not for themselves.
The gap was also visible by gender. Forty-two percent of men said the American Dream was universal, compared with 33 percent of women. Just 45 percent of respondents said they could achieve it if they work hard. That is a striking answer for a phrase that has sat near the center of American national identity for nearly a century.
The phrase was coined in 1931 by writer James Truslow Adams, who tied it to the promise of “a better, richer and happier life for all our citizens of every rank.” It has remained a durable political and cultural touchstone, resurfacing again last year when Donald Trump said in his inaugural address that the American dream “will soon be back.” The latest numbers suggest that the promise still has reach, but not the same meaning for everyone who hears it.
That tension shows up in recent polling, too. A UCLA study published in January 2025 found that 60 percent of Gen Z believe the American Dream is unattainable, even as 86 percent said it remains desirable. A Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll in September 2025 found that, on average, 38 percent of respondents said they would never be able to achieve what they define as the American Dream.
That matters now because the idea is still central to how Americans judge the country and the people running it. The article says feelings of stagnation could shape Trump’s legacy as his presidency continues, and with Republicans holding slim majorities in both chambers of Congress, the November 2026 midterm elections could alter the balance of power. Losing a handful of seats could let Democrats slow or block the GOP agenda for the rest of Trump’s term. For now, the poll suggests the American Dream is not dead, but it is badly split along the lines of party, gender and generation.
