America is viewed as the land of the free, where many have come in pursuit of the American Dream. However, in today’s society, the American Dream – the belief that in America anyone can pursue a better life and success through hard work, determination and initiative – seems increasingly unattainable.
We were promised affordability during the last election in November 2024. Donald Trump promised the American people affordability in groceries, houses, rent and health care. But with the rise of inflation, the American Dream can’t be obtained. What many wish for in America now is stability and affordability.
Countless families have struggled to afford necessities as inflation rises. While in January 2026 the US inflation rate had slightly decreased to 2.4%, it fluctuated wildly last year, hitting its lowest in four years in April at 2.3%, assumed to be triggered by Trump’s tariffs, as reported in The Guardian. The inflation rate also surged during the pandemic, peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, reported the New York Times. Compare this to the 1.26 inflation rate of 10 years ago, according to Macrotrends, and it’s clear why families have foregone the American Dream’s promise of success to pursue simple survivability.
Americans are challenged and unable to afford basic health care. Hospital bills are extremely high, leading many into debt. In 2022, KFF stated that four in ten adults (about 41%) reported having debt due to medical or dental bills. Many had to borrow money to be able to pay off their health care costs. This doesn’t only affect low-income families who don’t have insurance, it also affects those who do. They are not immune to the high cost of medical care.
A six-figure job once promised stability for the rest of your life, but now, in 2026, many can barely afford rent or groceries, let alone buying a house. What has America become when a six-figure job can’t guarantee stability? The escalating cost has concerned the American people, with many members of Generation Z unable to afford to buy a house anymore. Fortune reported that the number of first-time homebuyers is half the historical norm, with a recorded 3.2 million first-time homebuyers in 2004 plummeting to 1.14 million in 2024.
This has pressured many Gen Zers to work two or more jobs to afford necessities. A February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 8.9 million Americans – a record high – reported working multiple jobs. Others struggle with finding a job. Not only did the job market leave many unemployed in 2020 during the pandemic, but it left a scar for the upcoming years. It left young Americans struggling to find a job, leaving many unemployed for more than a year. Finding a job isn’t guaranteed anymore. According to CNBC, over 2 million people earned bachelor’s degrees in Spring 2025, but only 30% of those graduates reported finding a full-time job in their field. After graduation, students struggle to find a job with the degree they earned, leading them to unemployment or an entry-level job despite their education.
What it means to be free, or as Americans say, what is the American Dream? It’s no longer the promise of upward mobility. Now, people crave the bare minimum of affordability and stability. That is the new American Dream.
What does affordability mean? Grocery prices that are affordable for everyone, even low-income families. A guarantee that $100 would be able to purchase a variety of healthy foods. Families that don’t have to worry if there will be food on the table. Manageable rent that doesn’t rise each year. Families not having to fear eviction when one job doesn’t earn enough to afford rent. Working one job that provides stability and enough income to afford the necessities, with the ability to rise up to a six-figure job that would guarantee financial liberty. With health care being affordable, we as Americans don’t have to worry about high monthly medical bills.
The inflation rate may have experienced a mild decrease recently, but the last 10 years of changes are making it harder and harder for the average person in America to afford the basics, let alone realize the American Dream of success. Currently, Gen Zers fresh out of college with an education they paid for are struggling to make ends meet, and families are struggling to feed their children. For America to truly be free, we need to make sure people can find jobs that can provide them with enough money to support themselves. One day maybe we can hope for the American Dream, but for now, people are just trying to get by.
