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Economic Mobility Poll 2009 - Data Search

Step 1: Select Polling Questions for Which You Would Like to See Data

Below you will find the polling questions as they were asked in our 2009 national survey. Select 'View' to see survey questions within each category. Check the boxes for any questions you wish to show. Data will be displayed in the form of graphs and tables. You may check multiple boxes, but please remember that selecting a large number of questions at a time may make the graphs less legible.

Economic Status and Mobility

Select a question or multiple questions from the list below:

How would you rate economic conditions in this country today? Would you say they are excellent, good, only fair or poor?
How would you rate your own personal economic situation today? Is it excellent, good, only fair or poor?
Thinking about ten years from now, do you think your economic circumstances will be much better than they are right now, somewhat better, somewhat worse, or much worse?
Generally speaking, which of the following has the most influence on your view of how other people are doing economically? Television, Your friends and family, The Internet, Your neighborhood in terms of home values and store openings and closings, Newspapers, Your own business or occupation, Government studies and announcements.
Thinking about your own personal economic situation today, do you feel you are very much in control, somewhat in control, not very much in control, or not at all in control of your own personal economic situation?
Thinking about people in this country today, do you feel they are very much in control of their economic situation, somewhat in control, not very much in control, or not at all in control of their economic situation?
Currently the country is in a recession. Do you believe it is still possible for people to improve their economic standing?
Compared to your parents when they were the age you are now, do you think your own standard of living is much better, somewhat better, about the same, somewhat worse, or much worse than theirs was?
(If respondent indicated they were a parent) When your children are the age you are now, do you think their standard of living will be better, worse or about the same as yours or people your age?
(If respondent indicated they were not a parent) When kids today are the age you are now, do you think their standard of living will be better, worse or about the same as yours is now?
Thinking about the country today, how common is it for someone to start poor, work hard and become rich? Would you say it is very common, somewhat common, somewhat uncommon or very uncommon?
Compared to your parents, do you think it is easier or harder for you to achieve the American dream?
Compared to your parents, do you think it is easier or harder for you to move up the income ladder?
(If respondent indicated they were a parent) Thinking about your own kids, do you think it will be easier or harder for them to achieve the American dream?
(If respondent indicated they were not a parent) Thinking about young people, under the age of 18, do you think it will be easier or harder for them to achieve the American dream?
(If respondent indicated they were a parent) Thinking about your own kids, do you think it will be easier or harder for them to move up the income ladder?
(If respondent indicated they were not a parent) Thinking about young people, under the age of 18, do you think it will be easier or harder for them to move up the income ladder?

Factors Contributing to Mobility

Some people use the term ECONOMIC MOBILITY to describe the ability of individuals to move up or down the income ladder over a lifetime or from one generation to the next. I am going to read you a list of factors that may contribute to a person's economic mobility, that is, their ability to improve themselves financially and get ahead in life. For each one I read, please tell me if this is essential, very important, somewhat important, not very important or not important at all.

Coming from a wealthy family Having a good education yourself Hard work The state of the economy Staying healthy Growing up in a stable family environment

Growing up in a two-parent household Access to loans Luck Growing up in a good neighborhood A person's race Having well-educated parents

Having ambition Knowing the right people Being born a man or a woman Access to quality K-12 education

Which one or two of the following do you think are most likely to contribute to someone moving down the economic ladder? Poor life choices, Taking on too much debt, Lack of education, The overall economy, Not working hard enough, Reliance on government assistance, The cost of living, Too much competition for jobs, Divorce, Lack of savings, All, None
Thinking about your own life, which one or two of the following do you worry about the most in terms of potentially moving down the economic ladder? Poor life choices, Taking on too much debt, Lack of education, The overall economy, Not working hard enough, Reliance on government assistance, The cost of living, Too much competition for jobs, Divorce, Lack of savings, All, None

Mobility Facts

I am going to read you some facts about economic mobility in this country. After each one I read, please tell me whether you believe this represents a major problem for this country, a minor problem, not much of a problem or no problem at all.

About 40 percent of Americans who are born to parents at the bottom of the income ladder are still there as adults.
The United States is considered to have low mobility compared to other industrialized nations like Canada and Sweden.
Children of middle-income African Americans are almost 3 times more likely to fall to the bottom of the income ladder as adults than children of middle-income whites.
Almost 50 percent of children of middle income African Americans fall to the bottom of the income ladder as adults.
Women are less likely to move up the income ladder over a generation than men.
Half of Americans who are at the bottom of the income ladder remain there 10 years later.
More than 30 percent of children who are born to parents at the top of the income ladder are still there as adults.
If your parents were rich but you didn't graduate from college, you're more likely to be rich than if your parents were poor and you did graduate from college.

Mobility Values

When it comes to economic mobility, what do you think is more important the individual person and things like hard work and drive, or outside factors and things like the economy and economic circumstances growing up?
What do you think is more important for this country to reduce inequality in America or to ensure everyone has a fair chance of improving their economic standing?

I am going to read you some statements. After each one I read, please tell me if you agree or disagree or if you neither agree nor disagree.

All Americans have a fair shot at moving up the income ladder.
Greater economic inequality means that it is more difficult for those at the bottom of the income ladder to move up the ladder.
In the United States, a child's chance of achieving financial success is tied to the income of his or her parent.

The American Dream

The term American Dream means different things to different people. Here are some ways some people have described what the American Dream means to them. On a scale of one to ten, please tell me how accurately each statement describes what you consider the American Dream to be. One would mean this statement does not describe the American Dream at all. A ten would mean this statement describes the American Dream almost perfectly.

Your children being better off financially than you
Getting a college degree or advanced education
Owning a house
Being financially secure
Owning your own business
Being free to accomplish almost anything you want with hard work
Being able to succeed regardless of the economic circumstances in which you were born
Getting married and having children
Being free to say or do what you want
Becoming rich
Having enough income to afford a few of life's luxuries, like vacations and eating out
Being middle class

Policy Preferences

Generally speaking, do you think the government does more to help or more to hurt people trying to move up the economic ladder?

Now I am going to read you some steps the government could take in improving economic mobility in this country and giving people the opportunity to improve their chances of moving up the income ladder or the chances of their children. For each one I read, please tell me if you believe this would be very effective, somewhat effective, not very effective or not effective at all:

Making college more affordable
Protecting people's homes from foreclosure during this economic period
Cutting taxes
Cutting taxes for middle-income families
Reducing crime and drugs in communities
Reducing the cost of health care
Helping small businesses and people who own their own business
Raising the minimum wage
More job training programs and education for adult workers
Keeping jobs in America
Making it easier to save for retirement
Early childhood learning programs so kids do not start out already behind
Promoting marriage
Reforming welfare
Invest in infrastructure projects like roads, schools and bridges to create jobs
Provide financial education that teaches people how to better handle their money

Demographics

Respondent's gender
What racial or ethnic group best describes you?
Do you have any children 18 years of age or younger living at home?
What is the last year of schooling that you have completed?
How about your parents? Did one or both of them get a college degree?
In terms of your job status, are you employed, unemployed but looking for work, retired, a student or a homemaker?
Are you married, single, separated, divorced or widowed?
In terms of your spouse's job status, are they employed, unemployed but looking for work, retired, a student, or a homemaker?
A person's social class is determined by a number of things including education, income, occupation and wealth. If you were asked to use one of these five names for your social class, which would you say you belong in -- upper class, upper-middle class, middle class, working class, or lower class?
What about your parents? What class would you say they belong in -- upper class, upper-middle class, middle class, working class, or lower class?
Do you own stock? (Includes stock acquired privately through a broker or online, through a 401K or an IRA, through mutual funds or some other way.)
Do you own your home?
Thinking in political terms, would you say that you are conservative, moderate, or liberal?
Would you describe your Hispanic origin as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Latin American, Central American or Spanish?
Region of the Country
Division of the Country (subset of region)
Last year, that is in 2008, what was your total family income from all sources, before taxes?
Respondent's age
Urban/Suburban/Rural