Part 2
Americans’ Perspectives on Economic Mobility

Economic mobility in the United States 
has been stunted by wealth and wage inequalities and structural barriers that limit access to opportunity for millions 
of Americans.

The associated narratives based on the “American Dream,” in which anyone can achieve upward mobility on their own merit and hard work, obscure the structural barriers imposed upon vast swathes of the population. These inequities preclude individuals from economic advancement, with outsized impact on economically underserved and BIPOC communities.

This report expands upon findings presented in the first report of this series, Life Experiences that Power Lifetime Income, where we introduced 28 life experiences—or Mobility Experiences—with strong evidence of impact on lifetime income. As the second installment in the three-part series, this report aims to: (1) Elevate the perspectives of Americans who are experiencing, or have formerly experienced, poverty, and (2) Identify opportunities to better meet the needs and preferences of the people who stand to benefit most.

We surveyed over 4,000 people in the United States to share their perspectives on the state of economic mobility in the country and the Mobility Experiences they perceive to be most influential for economic mobility. By capturing the perspectives of Americans on economic opportunity and the learnings from their lived experiences, this report elucidates which Mobility Experiences are most valued by the American public and how closely their perceptions align with available data and traditional academic studies. With this knowledge, policymakers, funders, program implementers, and the public can all start shifting the narrative around economic mobility and set priorities to mobilize capital for relevant and impactful programs and policies that are highly valued by the public.

Key findings include:

Public Perception of Economic Mobility in the United States

• Most Americans believe that upward mobility is a common experience in the United States, yet they are not optimistic about their own economic outlook.

• Many Americans believe their prospects for economic mobility are impacted by their backgrounds and personal attributes. For example, one out of every three Black Americans believe their race negatively affects their mobility and one out of every four women believe their gender negatively affects their mobility.

Public Perception of the 28 Mobility Experiences

• Most Mobility Experiences with strong quantitative evidence of impact on lifetime income are also perceived as highly important by the public, particularly in the education domain. In a handful of cases, the public perceived a Mobility Experience to be more important than quantitative evidence would suggest. One example is access to adequate nutrition and a balanced diet during childhood.

• Public interest in receiving support to navigate a certain Mobility Experience is not always directly related to its perceived importance. For example, although 90 percent of respondents view completing high school or attaining an equivalent credential as important to mobility, only 61 percent report an interest in receiving support to graduate from high school.

Differences in Perceptions of Mobility Experiences by Population Segment

• For many Mobility Experiences, the perceived importance hinges upon whether someone has personally experienced them. For example, people who have had interactions with the criminal justice system or owned a business are 20 to 30 percentage points more likely to report the importance of those experiences on their own economic mobility.

• The perceived importance of several Mobility Experiences is also influenced by whether or not the individual has experienced poverty themselves. For instance:

  • People who recently moved into poverty are far more likely to report that major disruptors, such as managing chronic health conditions or being evicted, were important contributors to their downward economic trajectories.

  • Those who earn incomes above 200% of the federal poverty line are more likely to report the importance of postsecondary education, employment benefits, and financial inclusion on their economic outcomes—experiences that may be more inaccessible to Americans earning lower wages.

• Across races and ethnicities, perceived importance of Mobility Experiences is largely consistent, but there are key differences for select experiences. Black and Hispanic Americans, for instance, are more likely to report the influence of trauma and frequent school disciplinary actions on their economic outcomes.

Where public perception diverges from insights found in quantitative studies, we hypothesize that Americans may value life experiences beyond just immediate increases to income, but also for increasing power, autonomy, and a sense of community connection. These are important components of moving out of poverty that are frequently understudied in economic mobility research.

There is substantial opportunity to learn more about the ways that the 28 Mobility Experiences can influence drivers of economic mobility beyond lifetime income.

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Part II Webinar