This Washington Post-Miller Center poll was conducted by telephone September 6-12,
2013, among a random national sample of 1,509 adults, including landline and cell
phone-only respondents. Results have a three percentage point error margin. Sampling,
data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York.
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. Overall, would you say you are satisfied or dissatisfied with [ITEM]? Would that be
very satisfied/dissatisfied, or somewhat satisfied/dissatisfied?
a. The country’s economic situation
----- Satisfied -------- Dissatisfied --No
NET
Very
Somewhat
NET
Somewhat
Very
opinion
9/12/13
22
4
18
73
27
46
5
2/9/11
16
3
13
82
30
52
2
8/13/02*
38
6
32
58
33
25
4
2/4/97
52
8
44
46
31
15
2
*2002 and previous: Hart Research for AFL-CIO: “the economic situation in the country
today.”
b. Your own personal financial situation
----- Satisfied -------- Dissatisfied --No
NET
Very
Somewhat
NET
Somewhat
Very
opinion
9/12/13
61
25
36
37
17
19
3
2/9/11
57
21
36
41
20
21
3
10/21/10* 69
29
40
28
14
14
2
3/3/09
66
23
43
31
18
13
3
*2010 and previous: Pew Research Center: “your personal financial situation.”

2. Would you say you feel (more) financially secure, (less) secure, or about as secure
as you felt a few years ago?

9/12/13

More
secure
23

Less
secure
48

About the
same
29

No
opinion
1

3. If you were asked to use one of the following five names for your social class,
which would you say you belong in – upper, upper-middle, middle, lower-middle, lower?

9/12/13
11/02/11
2/9/11

------- Upper class -----NET
Upper
Upper-middle
18
2
16
15
1
14
18
1
17

Middle
42
51
43

------- Lower class -----NET
Lower-middle
Lower
39
24
16
30
21
9
37
26
11

No
op.
1
3
2

4. What do you think is more likely over the next few years in terms of your social
class…? (you will move up) or (you will slip backwards)?

9/12/13

Move up
45

Slip backwards
26

(Vol.) Neither
Will stay the same
23

No opinion
6

1

 5. I'm going to read you some possible definitions or descriptions of The American
Dream, and for each one I'd like you to tell me if that's very much what you
understand The American Dream to mean, or sort of what it means, or not what it means?
9/12/13 – summary table
Very much
a. To have freedom of choice in
how to live one's life
b. To be able to become wealthy
c. To be able to get a college
education
d. To own a home
e. To do better than one's parents did
f. To be rewarded for hard work
g. The ability to balance work and
family life

Sort of

Not what it means

No op.

75
29

18
40

6
30

1
1

52
61
54
68

33
28
32
22

14
10
13
10

1
*
1
1

56

32

11

1

Trend where available to Oct. 1986 Wall Street Journal poll:
a. To have freedom of choice in how to live one's life

9/12/13
10/86

Very much
75
80

Sort of
18
16

Not what it means
6
3

No opinion
1
1

Not what it means
30
18

No opinion
1
1

b. To be able to become wealthy

9/12/13
10/86

Very much
29
39

Sort of
40
42

c. To be able to get a college education

9/12/13
10/86

Very much
52
68

Sort of
33
26

Not what it means
14
5

No opinion
1
1

Sort of
28
18

Not what it means
10
3

No opinion
*
1

d. To own a home

9/12/13
10/86

Very much
61
78

e. To do better than one's parents did

9/12/13
10/86

Very much
54
61

Sort of
32
29

Not what it means
13
9

No opinion
1
1

f and g no trend

6. When you think about The American Dream, is it something which has real meaning to
you personally, something which has meaning to others but not to you, or is it just a
phrase which doesn't really have meaning to anyone?

9/12/13
10/86*

Has meaning
to me
61
68

Has meaning
to others
18
16

Has no real
meaning to anyone
19
13

No
opinion
2
3

2

 *Wall Street Journal

7. Compared to your parents when they were the age you are now, do you think your own
standard of living now is better, about the same, or worse than theirs was?
Better
About the same
9/12/13
54
27
2/9/11*
52
27
*Washington Post-Kaiser-Harvard

Worse
18
19

Not applicable (vol.)
1
1

No opinion
*
1

8. When your children are the age you are now, do you think their standard of living
will be better, about the same, or worse than yours is now?
Better
About the same
9/12/13
39
24
2/9/11*
42
23
*Washington Post-Kaiser-Harvard

Worse
28
28

Not applicable (vol.)
6
4

No opinion
3
3

9. Which of these statements do you agree with more: (most people who want to get
ahead can make it if they’re willing to work hard) OR (hard work and determination are
no guarantee of success for most people)?
Get ahead if willing
Hard work is no
Neither
No
to work hard
guarantee of success
(vol.)
opinion
9/12/13
65
34
1
1
2/9/11
59
39
1
1
10/3/10
66
32
1
1
9/6/10*
64
33
3
3/7/06
64
33
3
12/05
64
33
3
12/04
68
28
4
9/00
73
24
3
8/99
74
23
3
7/94
68
30
2
*September 2010 and previous: Pew Research Center; neither/no opinion collapsed

10. What best describes your employment situation today?

Employed NET
Full time
Part time
Not employed NET
Seeking
Not seeking
Student
Retired
Disability
Homemaker
No opinion

9/12/13
56
47
10
43
6
1
5
19
6
6
*

11. Thinking about the past few years, would you say it has become (easier) or
(harder) for people like you to [INSERT ITEM] or hasn’t that changed much?
9/12/13 – Summary table*

a. Get ahead financially

Easier
7

Harder
66

Hasn’t changed
26

No opinion
1

3

 b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Afford health care
8
64
Pay for college
6
77
Find good jobs
5
74
Find decent, affordable housing
15
54
(AMONG PARENTS) Provide for
your children
10
58
g. (AMONG NOT RETIRED) Save for
retirement
6
71
*Item a,f,g ask all, half sample b,c and other half sample

26
11
16
26

2
5
4
5

31

*

20
d,e

3

12. Which one of the following do you think is most important for getting ahead
financially – (hard work), (friends and connections), (education), (growing up
wealthy), (natural ability) or something else (SPECIFY)?
9/12/13
Hard work
34
Education
30
Friends and connections
13
Growing up wealthy
11
Natural ability
5
All/combination of things (vol.) 3
Something else
3
No opinion
1

13. To the extent that you have not gotten ahead financially as much as you would
like, which of the following do you see as the biggest obstacle – (your education),
(where you live), (your job), (your level of debt), (your health), (your age), or
something else?

Your education
Your age
Your job
Where you live
Your health
Your level of debt
Government/laws (vol.)
Economy (vol.)
Other personal
concerns (vol.)
Taxes (vol.)
Have gotten ahead as much
as would like (vol.)
Something else
No opinion

9/12/13
19
14
10
9
9
8
2
2
2
1
6
14
4

14. For each item I name, please tell me how important it is to help America compete
with other countries economically. Is [INSERT] one of the single most important
issues, very important, somewhat important or less important than that?
9/12/13 - Summary table*
--- More important --NET Single most Very
80
16
64

a. improving public schools
b. government investment in
new technology
45
c. reducing the federal
budget deficit
70
d. government investment in roads,

-- Less important NET Somewhat Less
19
14
5

No
opin.
1

5

40

54

37

16

1

15

56

27

20

7

3

4

 water systems, the energy
grid and other services
58
e. government investment in the
manufacturing industry
50
f. becoming less dependent on
foreign oil
71
*Half sample a-c, other half sample d-e.

7

50

39

30

9

3

6

45

47

31

15

3

15

55

27

23

5

2

15. Which of the following would be the single most important thing to help you better
achieve your version of the American Dream: (access to job training), (access to
affordable college education), (affordable health care), (low taxes), (affordable
housing) or something else?
9/12/13
Low taxes
28
Access to affordable
college education
22
Affordable health care
18
Access to job training
8
Affordable housing
8
Less government regulation (vol.) 1
All/combination of things (vol.)
2
Something else
9
None/Nothing
1
No opinion
4

16. To the extent that it has become harder to find good paying jobs in the United
States than in the past, how much blame does each of the following deserve for that?
Do you blame (INSERT) a lot, some, only a little, or not at all?
9/12/13 – Summary table*

a. The gap in pay between business
executives and ordinary workers
b. Elected leaders in Washington
who don’t work together
c. American workers not working
hard enough to get ahead
d. Wall Street financial
institutions
e. Competition from cheaper
labor overseas
f. New technology
replacing workers
g. Rising cost of health care
h. Weaker labor unions
i. High taxes and regulations
on business
j. Fewer federal and state
government jobs
k. Companies refusing to invest
profits in new jobs
l. Lack of government support
for small businesses
*Half sample a-f, other half sample

-- A lot/Some -NET A lot Some

-- Little/Not at all -NET Little Not at all

No
opin.

76

53

24

22

11

11

2

88

69

19

10

6

4

2

58

25

33

40

19

21

2

66

37

30

29

17

12

4

79

57

21

20

12

8

1

69
78
48

33
54
23

36
24
25

30
21
48

17
12
17

12
9
30

1
1
4

74

46

28

24

15

9

2

51

23

28

47

23

24

2

69

39

30

29

15

14

3

71
g-l

41

30

26

15

11

4

5

 17. Do you ever worry that your total family income will not be enough to meet your
family’s expenses and bills? (IF WORRY) Would you say that you have worries like this
all of the time, most of the time, some of the time or just now and then?

9/12/13
8/1971

---------------------- Worry ----------------------All of
Most of
Some of
Now and
NET
the time
the time
the time
then
DK
65
19
14
18
13
*
48
8
10
18
12
*

Don’t
worry
35
52

No
opinion
*
-

18. In the last year, have you or has anyone living in your household [ITEM] or not?
a. had work hours or pay cut
Yes
No
Not applicable (vol.)
No opinion
9/12/13
33
64
3
*
9/12/09*
41
59
NA
*
4/24/09** 35
65
NA
1
2/22/09
26
73
NA
*
12/14/08
27
73
NA
*
*9/12/09 and previous: Washington Post-ABC News
**4/24/09 and previous: “In the last few months…”
b. Lost health insurance coverage or other benefits
Yes
No
Not applicable (vol.)
No opinion
9/12/13
22
76
1
1
11/02/11* 21
78
1
*
2/9/11
22
77
1
*
*11/02/11 and previous Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation “...have you or
another family member living in your household...”

19. Are you currently married, living with a partner, separated, divorced, widowed, or
have you never been married?

Married
Living with a partner
Separated
Divorced
Widowed
Never been married
No opinion

9/12/13
51
7
5
11
7
19
*

Questions 20 and 21 held for release.
22. (AMONG EMPLOYED) Would you say that you earn...Much less than you deserve, less
than you deserve, what you deserve, more than what you deserve or much more than you
deserve?

NET Earn less than you deserve
Much less than you deserve
Less than you deserve
What you deserve
NET Earn more than you deserve
More than what you deserve
Much more than you deserve
Never worked (vol.)
No opinion
*General Social Survey

9/12/13
58
17
41
36
6
4
2
*
*

6/25/00*
57
13
44
36
3
3
*
NA
4

6

 22a. (AMONG NOT EMPLOYED) Thinking about your last job, would you say that you earned
much less than you deserved, less than you deserved, what you deserved, more than what
you deserved or much more than you deserved?

NET Earned less than you deserved
Much less than you deserved
Less than you deserved
What you deserved
NET Earned more than you deserved
More than what you deserved
Much more than you deserved
Never worked (vol.)
No opinion
*General Social Survey.

9/12/13
51
13
38
41
5
3
2
2
1

6/25/00*
50
18
32
34
2
2
*
4
10

23. (AMONG EMPLOYED) In the next five years, how likely is it that you will (INSERT)?
Would you say it is very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely or not at all likely?

a. receive a significant raise
in pay at your current job
b. find a new job that pays more
c. keep your current job and pay

----- Likely -----NET Very Somewhat
42
17
25

------ Not likely -----NET Not too Not at all
56
27
29

43
75

56
24

22
47

21
27

23
12

No
op.
1

33
12

1
1

24. (AMONG EMPLOYED) How much, if at all, does your current job allow you to use your
skills and talents? Would you say a lot, somewhat, only a little, or not at all?

9/12/13

--- A lot/Somewhat --NET
A lot
Somewhat
87
63
24

-------- A little/None --------NET
Only a little
Not at all
13
9
4

No
opinion
*

Trend among employed adults age 45-74:

9/12/13
6/30/02*
*AARP

--- A lot/Somewhat --NET
A lot
Somewhat
89
64
25
92
71
21

-------- A little/None --------NET
Only a little
Not at all
11
8
2
8
6
2

No
opinion
*
*

25a. (AMONG NOT RETIRED) Does having enough savings for retirement worry you a lot, a
little, or not at all at the present time?
A lot
A little
Not at all
No opinion
9/12/13
45
33
21
1
10/19/00* 33
41
26
*Among registered voters. Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation-Harvard University
“how worried are you about…”

25b. (AMONG EMPLOYED) Does losing your job because of the economy worry you a lot, a
little, or not at all at the present time?

9/12/13
3/14/02*
7/18/01

A lot
32
19
19

A little
30
30
27

Not at all
38
51
53

No opinion
*
*
1

7

 10/15/98** 18
25
57
*
7/9/92
28
27
45
*
6/10/82*** 31
25
44
3/10/82
29
22
49
12/4/81
29
22
49
9/17/81
24
25
50
5/12/81
28
23
49
1/7/81
27
23
49
10/8/78
31
23
46
6/5/78
29
25
46
1/28/76
28
22
49
5/22/75
29
25
47
*7/18/01 and 3/14/02 Time/CNN/Harris Interactive phone surveys.
**7/9/92 and 10/15/98: Time/CNN/Yankelovich and Time/Yankelovich, Skelly and White.
***6/10/82 and earlier: Among registered voters who are employed male/female household
heads and employed wives

26. (AMONG NOT RETIRED) In the past 12 months, have you taken training to keep your
skills and knowledge up to date or learn new skills?

9/12/13
2/9/11

Yes
50
49

No
50
51

No opinion
*
*

26a. (AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN TRAINING) Have these new skills allowed you to earn
more money, or don’t you think it’s made much difference?

9/12/13

Has allowed to
earn more money
26

Hasn’t made
much difference
72

No
opinion
2

26/26a NET:

9/12/13

------- Have taken training -------Allowed to
Hasn’t made
No
NET
earn more
much diff.
op.
50
13
36
1

Have not
taken training
50

No
opinion
*

27. Are colleges doing enough to prepare students to find jobs in today’s economy, or
not?

9/12/13

Yes
33

No
53

No opinion
14

28. There is a lot of talk about the difference between being middle class and being
rich. In your opinion, how much would someone have to make in a year in order to be
considered [ITEM]
a. Rich
Under $50K
$50K to under $75K
$75K to under $100K
$100K to under $300K
$300K to under $1M
$1M or more
No opinion
Median
Mean

9/12/13
2
4
4
41
21
19
9
$250K
$839K

------- 10/20/00 -------Actual
Inflation adjust*
6
6
4
4
5
1
39
38
16
21
18
18
12
12
$200K
$271K
$514K
$697K

8

 *Adjusted to 2013 dollars per Bureau of Labor Statistics calculations
b. Middle class
9/12/13
15
31
14
27
4
2
7
$75K
$162K

Under $50K
$50K to under $75K
$75K to under $100K
$100K to under $300K
$300K to under $1M
$1M or more
No opinion
Median
Mean

29. Please tell me how good of a job [INSTERT] does in offering real solutions to help
the middle class – a very good job, fairly good, not too good or not good at all?
9/12/13 – summary table

a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party
c. Barack Obama

------- Good -----NET
Very
Fairly
40
8
33
32
7
26
44
13
31

-------- Not good -------NET
Not too
Not at all
55
26
29
62
30
32
52
20
32

No
opinion
5
5
4

901. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as (a Democrat), (a
Republican), an independent or what?

9/12/13

Democrat
29

Republican
22

Independent
39

Other (vol.)
6

No opinion
4

*** END ***

9