Report: 75 Percent Of Americans Say They're Losing Faith In American Dream
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new report finds many Americans feel the "American Dream" is fading.
The 2017 Hearth State of the American Dream report found 75 percent of Americans are losing faith in the American Dream, and fewer than one in five say they are actually living it.
The survey found the top five criteria of the American Dream are home ownership, affording rent and living expenses without hardship, starting a family, finding a fulfilling career and sending kids to college.
1010 WINS' John Montone talked to people on the New Jersey Turnpike to get their thoughts.
Raising two daughters, Mary said the dream of owning a home has become a pipe dream.
"I say it's harder to obtain these days because there's so many people applying for one job, there's not enough jobs right there," said Mary. She works two jobs to make ends meet and said her definition of the American Dream is "being able to survive and not living paycheck to paycheck."
Raymond, who is 65 and down on his luck, still believes in better days ahead.
"It's a lot of hard work, you work and you work and you don't give up," he said. "The American Dream is what you make it. It might be tough and struggles but we still have those hopes."
"We have no choice, we have to believe in the American Dream," said a man from the Philippines, who told 1010 WINS' John Montone that his faith was shaken when the bank almost took his house.
Rodeen owns a home, but he said it didn't come easy.
"We did work hard, my wife and I we've been together almost 30 years so we did save and we got our kids through school but it is getting harder for many people to achieve that goal today," he said.
The report surveyed a random sample of 2,000 Americans on Aug. 21.