Top States Revealed for Achieving The American Dream

Of the top 10, six states are located in the Northeastern region of the United States.

A new study has revealed that the American Dream is alive and well in the northeast, with the Garden State, New Jersey, giving its residents the best chance of living the American Dream according to the data.

Also See: New York Among States Home to Most Creative Residents

The research from DuelBits analyzed all 50 US states across seven factors that are traditionally associated with the American Dream. These include: home ownership, college education, average salary, foreign-born residents, vehicle ownership, average debt, and life expectancy. This created an index ranking, listing each state in order from best to worst in terms of how likely they are to make the American Dream come true.

The results revealed that New Jersey gives you the best chance of living the American Dream, as the Garden State claimed a score of 8.72 out of 10. New Jersey has the highest percentage of its population born outside of the United States in the nation, at 25 percent. New Jerseyans also have the joint fourth-highest life expectancy in America, with residents living on average until 79.

Jersey guys and girls are also more likely to receive a college education, with 42.9 percent of the state population attending college, the third highest in America. With New Jersey being a popular state for New York City and Philadelphia commuters, it might come as no surprise that it ranks third-lowest in vehicle ownership at 917.55 vehicles per 1,000 residents.

However, 63.9 percent of New Jersey residents own their homes, which is significantly higher than in their close neighbor, New York (54.3 percent).

New York Ranks 6th for Living the American Dream

Of the top 10, six states are located in the Northeastern region of the United States. These include: New Jersey (1st), Massachusetts (2nd), Connecticut (3rd), Vermont (4th), New York (6th), and New Hampshire (9th).

On the other end of the scale, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas ranked as the states giving you the lowest chance of living the American Dream.

Get our free mobile app

The Top 10 States That Give You the Highest Chance of Living the American Dream:

Rank	State	Home Ownership %	College %	Salary $	Foreign Born Residents %	Vehicles Per 1,000	Average Debt per resident	Life Expectancy	Total Score
1	New Jersey	63.9	42.9	76,320	25	917.55	109,831	79	8.72
2	Massachusetts	62.4	46.6	83,050	18.8	1046.3	130,772	79.6	8.66
3	Connecticut	66.7	41.9	76,050	15.9	1068.29	110,272	79.2	8.49
4	Vermont	73.2	42.6	66,330	4.5	1310.68	89,972	78.4	8.29
5	Minnesota	71.6	38.8	68,880	9	1364.28	105,918	78.8	8.18
6	New York	54.3	39.6	80,630	23.3	762.36	93,760	79	8.17
7	Maryland	67.8	42.7	76,130	17.1	1089.41	128,998	77.2	8.13
8	Illinois	67.6	37.2	69,020	15.4	1232.07	87,090	77.1	8.11
9	New Hampshire	72.6	39.8	68,800	5.9	1208.79	107,965	78.5	7.97
10	Virginia	67.1	41.5	72,060	13.6	1288.34	126,747	76.1	7.78

16 Rockers Who Followed the American Dream and Became US Citizens

Born elsewhere, these musicians put in the work to become full American citizens for various reasons.

Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp

25 Locally Owned and Small Businesses in the Hudson Valley

Small and locally owned businesses are the heartbeat of any community, and here in the Hudson Valley, we’re fortunate to have so many shaping our neighborhoods with character and care. Each one carries its own story — from a shop sparked by an owner’s lifelong comic collection to a farm-to-fork destination named after a cherished family nickname. Here are 25 of the best, ready to inspire, delight, and remind you why shopping local matters.

Gallery Credit: Grayce Journick