The ability of individuals to achieve the American dream depends on where they live, according to the first state-by-state look at the opportunity to move up the economic ladder.

People who live in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Utah are more likely to improve their economic standing after their prime working years than the typical American, a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts finds.

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Economic mobility "is a measure of opportunity and a measure of the health of the American dream," says Erin Currier of Pew's Economic Mobility Project. Educational attainment, the ability to save or gain assets and neighborhood poverty impact economic mobility, Currier says.

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