Can you afford the American Dream?
Let’s see what it takes to achieve it. Calculate your score in 2 minutes
Find Out
Where you can afford to rent or buy and stay ahead
Whether you're on track for housing, education, or retirement goals
Whether buying or renting makes more sense for you, where you live
How you score compared to others in your area and occupation
How affordability has changed over time for your area
Your checklist for how you can improve earnings and cut expenses
What it really costs to have kids, help you plan
Find places to move to based on your occupation and needs
How safe your job is from AI
How It Works
Calculate your American Dream Index in 2 minutes
In just 2 minutes, you can find out if you're on track for the American Dream, and what you can do to improve your odds
We’ll use this to estimate housing costs and suggest nearby alternatives
The number of bedrooms (and kids) greatly affects costs, depending on location
We’ll use this to estimate your earnings over time
Our easy-to-use map and tools let you find where you can afford to live and thrive
About the American Dream Index
The American Dream means different things to different people. A house with a white picket fence? The ability to make it big? Politicians and the press talk about it all the time, but always in some abstract way that implies everyone can make it. But that’s just not true. Society cannot rely on luck or inspiring stories of entrepreneurship of a few because it won’t apply to all of us. Hard-working, middle-class Americans with stable jobs see the American dream slipping away from them. What they want is simple, and very consistent: A place of their own, the ability to have children, feel secure financially, and have enough left over to enjoy life So we’ve put a number on it. The American Dream Index reflects how achievable either home ownership or renting is for common occupations and household sizes, based on location. Here’s how the scores work:
200%+
You’re in great shape. You can afford to buy or rent and have money left over for cars, vacations, or retire earlier
150%
You can afford the American Dream and have some cushion for nicer things, but you will need to budget to be sure
100%
You can just afford the American Dream, but you’ll need to monitor expenses and budget carefully, and won’t have much left for anything else. You’ll need to move or earn more to increase your quality of life
90%
You cannot afford the American Dream without substantial compromises or career changes
Below 90%
You are unlikely to achieve the American Dream without a career breakthrough or moving somewhere much less expensive
Who We Are
The American Dream Index was founded by a group of entrepreneurs, academics, and others who want to make the American Dream objectively measurable, and highlight where (and where not) it’s achievable across America. Our information is sourced from commonly used sources such as The Census Bureau, The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The HUD, Zillow, The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and other public domain and private sources. We provide aggregated data and analysis based on this information to journalists, academics, and public sector entities on request. If you have a specific request, please reach out to us.
Contact Us
We’re always looking to hear from like-minded individuals and organizations who care about the American Dream. Reach out using the form below.