Hope of the American Dream is still alive but optimism greatly differs by demographic: survey

More than half of people still believe that the American Dream is possible for those who want it — but optimism about achieving it greatly differs by demographic.That’s according to a new survey of 2,000 Americans (1,000 census-representative Hispanics and 1,000 non-Hispanics), which found that 61% of Hispanic respondents believe the American Dream is still achievable today, compared to 55% of non-Hispanic Americans.Overall, in the study, 58% of all respondents said they still believe in the American Dream in 2026.And the optimism runs even deeper amongst Hispanic Americans: 56% of Hispanics believe they will personally achieve the American Dream in their lifetime, compared to 51% of non-Hispanics, a gap that holds even as Hispanics report higher debt burdens, more financial stress, and less access to financial education.Gen Z (67%) was also notably hopeful, making them the most optimistic generation overall.The study, conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by National Debt Relief for Financial Literacy Month in April, explored how Americans, particularly Hispanic Americans, define financial stability.It also uncovered what the American Dream looks like in 2026, how debt and access to financial education affect respondents’ ability to achieve it, and how these experiences vary for Hispanic Americans compared with the broader population.Against this backdrop, the study revealed that many Americans continue to view financial stability as a core element of the American Dream.

Survey respondents most commonly defined the modern American Dream as owning a home (41%) and being able to afford an unexpected expense without financial strain (35%), along with being debt-free (34%), not having to worry about money day-to-day (32%), and being able to retire at 65 (30%).Views on how attainable this vision is were mixed, with Hispanic Americans offering a notably more optimistic perspective.While two in five respondents overall (41%) believe the American Dream is l...