New Report Announces the 2013 American Dream Cities
30 May, 2014
Is your city an American Dream City? Our nation’s promise is that you have the opportunity to achieve your American Dream. However, your ability to achieve it varies from city to city. 2013 American Dream Cities identifies those cities doing a markedly better than national average job in enabling residents to achieve their American Dream.
For 2013, The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn., is where residents believe the American Dream is being achieved to the greatest degree. All of the top cities should be consideredas great performance benchmarks to try and understand the key drivers enabling people living in those MSAs to feel they are better achieving their American Dream.
The report, created by The Burghard Group, ranks the 51 cities with populations > 1 million based on their success in creating conditions that enable residents to achieve their American Dream. Cities indexing 105 or greater to national average are designated as American Dream Cities. Cities with an index of 95 or less feel behind the national average in the achievement of their American Dream.
Top 10 American Dream Cities
Rank MSA Index vs. National
1. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 111
2. Jacksonville, FL Metro Statistical Area (MSA) 107
3. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA 106
4. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL MSA 106
5. Rochester, NY MSA 105
6. Columbus, OH MSA 105
7. Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA 105
8. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ MSA 104
9. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA 104
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA 104
View the complete ranking.
The above chart reflects the overall performance score for each MSA. However, this performance is based on resident ratings of 35 specific dimensions. Dimension ratings provide important insight into specific areas for community leaders to consider for strategic planning. Both overall performance and performance on each of the 35 dimensions can be compared between MSAs.
If you would like to receive a custom report directly comparing of your MSA with another on each of the 35 dimensions, simply send an email to eburghard@mac.com. The report will provide the performance data as an index. There is a nominal $25 analysis charge for each MSA comparison requested.
American Dream Composite Index
Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio has created a monthly quantitative index that measures how we, as a nation, are doing in terms of achieving our American Dream. The American Dream Composite Index (ADCI) powered by dunnhumby is a unique, robust measure of American sentiment and captures the essence of Americans aspirations.
It is important to note the ADCI is the only statisticallyvalidated measure of the American Dream.
The ADCI quantifies the American Dream in its entirety. It gauges the extent to which people living in the United States are achieving their American Dream. The ADCI does not pre-determine the definition of the American Dream. It includes 139 statistically derived statements pertaining to various aspects of the American Dream. Based on factor analysis, responses to these statements are reported as 35 dimensions, which in-turn roll up to five ADCI sub-indexes.
Illustration by dan at Free Digital Photos.net
Source: The Burghard Group
