As both Republicans and Democrats plan their conventions and their policy platforms, the strength of the American Dream is of even greater concern than usual. Pew’s work on economic mobility is of particular relevance to these discussions.

Pursuing the American Dream: Economic Mobility Across Generations shows opportunity is not the same for everyone. While 84 percent of Americans have higher family incomes than their parents did at the same age, those born at the top and bottom of the income ladder are likely to stay there as adults. more

A new Pew report, Housing Wealth and Higher Education: Building a Foundation for Economic Mobility, finds that low- and middle-income students whose families experienced increases in housing wealth just before reaching college age were more likely to attend college, more likely to attend higher-quality universities, and more likely to graduate.

This video animates the difference between two measurements of economic mobility. more

A new national poll released today by Pew’s Economic Mobility Project finds that 83 percent of Americans support a government role in promoting upward economic mobility, a sentiment that cuts across party lines. In fact, 58 percent think it could do even more.