Introduction
The assumption that anyone can get ahead based on capability and effort is central to the notion of the American Dream. This report provides an overview of the factors that seem to most affect the likelihood that someone will move up, or down, the economic ladder in the United States. It builds on other reports of the Economic Mobility Project that have identified significant patterns of economic mobility and found that some Americans are more likely to experience upward mobility, while others see downward mobility
This report, written by scholars from the Heritage Foundation, presents the primary indicators that influence one's path to economic mobility and classifies them into three distinct categories: social capital, human capital and financial capital. While a broader set of indicators is identified, the report finds that educational attainment, family structure and savings are the strongest determinants of whether Americans move up or down the economic ladder.
- Social Capital - Figure 1: Families with Married Couples Less Likely to Live in Poverty, Regardless of Race
- Social Capital - Figure 2: Births to Unmarried Mothers Continue to Rise
- Social Capital - Figure 3: Two-Parent Families on the Decline
- Social Capital - Figure 4: Married Couples Tend to Have the Same Level of Education
- Social Capital - Figure 5: Social Institutions are Critical Drivers of Child Development
- Social Capital - Figure 6: Effect of Religious Density on Outcomes
- Social Capital - Figure 7: Why Do School-Aged Students Join Gangs?
- Social Capital - Figure 8: What is The Likelihood of Starting a New Business?
- Human Capital - Figure 1: The Role of Education in Intergenerational Economic Mobility
- Human Capital - Figure 2: College Education Runs in The Family
- Human Capital - Figure 3: Greater Education Leads to Greater Prosperity
- Human Capital - Figure 4: Higher Education Can Pay Off Even More as One Gets Older
- Human Capital - Figure 5: Breakdown of Educational Attainment in The United States
- Human Capital - Figure 6: Low-Income Families Take Step Back in Sending Kids to College
- Human Capital - Figure 7: Enrollment Rates and Type of College Chosen Reflect Family Income
- Human Capital - Figure 8: Women Earning More College Degrees Than Men
- Human Capital - Figure 9: Women Continue to Gain on Men’s Income Levels
- Human Capital - Figure 10: Percent of College Graduates Ages 25–29 Has Increased For All Racial Groups, But The Racial Gap is Still Pronounced
- Human Capital - Figure 11: Individuals with Lower Income, Regardless of Education, Report Having Poorer Health Later in Life
- Human Capital - Figure 12: Individuals with Higher Income Are Less Likely to Report Having Poor Health
- Human Capital - Figure 13: Poor Health Can Result in Lost Earnings
- Human Capital - Figure 14: More Children Are Becoming Overweight, Regardless of Age
- Human Capital - Figure 15: Low Birthweight Can Inhibit Earnings
- Human Capital - Figure 16: Blacks Report More Health Problems Than Whites
- Financial Capital - Figure 1: The Role of Income in Intergenerational Wealth Mobility
- Financial Capital - Figure 2: White Households and Households with High Incomes Are More Likely to Receive Wealth Transfers
- Financial Capital - Figure 3: Median Net Wealth of Owner and Renter Households
- Financial Capital - Figure 4: Median Housing Value by Income Quartile, 1995 and 2004
- Financial Capital - Figure 5: Homeownership Rates for The United States, 1965 to 2007
- Financial Capital - Figure 6: Homeownership is Common Across All Income Groups
- Financial Capital - Figure 7: Low-income Workers Are Less Likely to Participate in Personal Retirement Savings Programs, Even When Eligible
- Financial Capital - Figure 8: Relative to Social Security, 401(k) PlansWill Grow in Size, Significance
- Financial Capital - Figure 9: Self-Employment Can be a Good Strategy For Those with Low Incomes
- Financial Capital - Figure 10: Entrepreneurs Tend to Have High Savings Rates Relative to Their Household Income
- Financial Capital - Figure 11: Male Entrepreneurs More Likely to Make Gains Over Salaried Counterparts Than Women
- Financial Capital - Figure 12: In 2004, Women Nearly Closed The Gap in Professional Degree Attainment
