Newsweek’s American Dream Index Maps Shifting Opportunities Across the United States

Newsweek released an American Dream Index that evaluates all 33,772 U.S. ZIP codes on a 0-to-100 scale. The index weighs six pillars—economic mobility, employment quality, education and skills, housing access, new business formation, and cost of living—to gauge whether ordinary residents can still move upward. Scores are intended to spark conversation about where the promise of upward mobility is being kept or eroded.

Newsweek

Political leaders have long claimed the American Dream is fading. Former President Donald Trump declared the Dream “dead” in his 2015 campaign launch and later referred to “American carnage” in his 2017 inaugural address.

Newsweek

Newsweek points to rising median household income—from $53,657 in 2014 to $83,730 in 2024—declining poverty rates (14.8 % to 10.6 %), higher health-insurance coverage (89.6 % to 92 %), and a doubling of new business filings (222,677 in February 2014 to 443,944 in February 2024). The index argues these trends show the Dream is still alive, though its geography has shifted.

Newsweek

• State Rankings: North Dakota ranks first, followed by Utah and Minnesota. Massachusetts falls to fourth due to high housing costs.

Newsweek

• County Leaders: Douglas County, Colorado; Loudoun County, Virginia; and Morgan County, Utah occupy the top three spots. Rural counties such as Edmunds County, South Dakota, and Sheridan County, Kansas rank alongside affluent suburbs.

Newsweek

• Bottom Performers: Mississippi ranks last, with Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Arkansas trailing closely.

Newsweek

• Pillar Highlights: North Dakota’s oil-rich counties excel in economic mobility and cost of living; Utah shows rapid job growth and strong intergenerational mobility; the Northeast scores high on education and venture capital but suffers on housing access and cost of living.

Newsweek

• Anthony Scaramucci – Financier and former Trump White House communications director.

Newsweek

• Maria Cardona – Democratic political strategist, founder of Latinovations.

Newsweek

• Chelsea Follett – Research fellow, Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty & Prosperity.

Newsweek

• Mike Madrid – Veteran Republican political commentator.

Newsweek

Cardona says the Dream remains alive but is harder to achieve, emphasizing the need for leaders who project hope and expand accessibility. Follett attributes many obstacles to policy choices, asserting that better policies could preserve the Dream. Madrid highlights the United States’ unique capacity for opportunity and the crucial role of immigrants.

Newsweek

• “The Dream is alive—follow the money and you’ll find it,” — Anthony Scaramucci, financier and former Trump White House communications director

Newsweek

• “The American Dream is still alive because the United States remains a place where people can pursue opportunity, enjoy freedoms and build a better life than they could in much of the world,” — Mike Madrid, veteran Republican political commentator

Newsweek

The index reframes the national conversation by showing that opportunity is not confined to coastal wealth hubs. Regions traditionally overlooked—farm counties of the Great Plains, Sun Belt exurbs, and small-town hubs—demonstrate strong mobility and affordability, suggesting that policy focus on housing, childcare, and education could further broaden the Dream’s reach. Persistent struggles in the Deep South and high-cost coastal metros underscore the need for targeted interventions.

Newsweek

Newsweek invites readers to explore the interactive map, compare ZIP codes, and examine pillar-by-pillar performance. The tool is positioned as an ongoing resource for policymakers, community leaders, and citizens seeking data-driven insight into where the American Dream thrives and where it falters.

Newsweek