Gen Z Women Are The Most Pessimistic About The American Dream
woman leaning against brick wall looking sad and pensive
This story was originally reported by Terri Rupar of The 19th. Meet Terri and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy.
Gen Z women often show up in polling as the most progressive group. They’re also the most pessimistic about the American dream.
That’s according to a new analysis of polling data by PRRI. Americans overall have become more pessimistic about the American dream — defined in the poll as “if you work hard, you’ll get ahead” — in the past two years. Now 49 percent agree, down from 55 percent in 2024. But some groups are more likely than others to agree, including Republicans and older Americans.
While numbers dropped in all age groups, the biggest decline came among young adults. Two years ago, half believed in the American dream. Now, 36 percent do.
Within that number is a divide based on gender: While 42 percent of men 18 to 29 years old completely or mostly agree in the American dream, just 30 percent of women in that age group do.
Women, particularly women of color, often feel the pain of economic downturns or inflation harder. They are more likely to go to college than men are — and also hold about 60 percent of the country’s student debt. Many feel left behind by the economy.
Young women are also the only group in which fewer than half — 48 percent — agree with the statement: “There’s no place I’d rather live than the U.S.” Overall, 71 percent of Americans say they wouldn’t live elsewhere. Gen Z men are closer to the national average than they are to women their age, with 61 percent agreeing.
PRRI’s analysis shows that on these questions, Gen Z men are mostly in line with millennial men. But Gen Z women frequently stand out.
While it’s true that Gen Z men are often to the right of Gen Z women, it’s not a sign that the men are becoming notably more conservative as a group. Rather, younger women are outliers, embracing progressive opinions on many political issues.
It’s a dynamic The 19th also found in its polling with SurveyMonkey last year.
The PRRI analysis comes from its May poll of a representative sample of 5,469 American adults in which it asked about views on national identity, politics and religion. The poll found just 34 percent of Americans have a favorable view of President Donald Trump; two-thirds disagree with his handling of the war in Iran.
