Study: The American Dream Is Alive And Well In Contra Costa County, But Not In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- If the American Dream is defined as upward mobility, than Contra Costa County is one of the few places in California where it is alive and well. But if you were born in a low-income family in San Francisco, your chances of being better off when you grow up is much less. If you were born poor in Los Angeles, the chances of living the American Dream is slim to none.
Researchers for The Equality of Opportunity Project asked 'Is America the Land of Opportunity?' In a series of studies they examined America's largest counties and metropolitan areas to determine a child's chances of breaking the cycle of poverty. The Bay Area was one of the worst places with the exception of Contra Costa County which ranks at #5, and San Mateo County ranked at #15. San Francisco ranks #34 on the list and Los Angeles is way down at #82.
According to the study, a poor child in Contra Costa County is more likely to go to college and earn more by the time he or she reaches age 26.
Overall, researchers found that areas with greater upward mobility tend to have five characteristics.
- Less segregation
- Less income inequality
- Better schools
- Greater social capital
- More stable families
The counties in America with the worst upward mobility were concentrated mostly in southern states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, North and South Carolina
The study also found that contrary to popular perception, economic mobility has not changed much over time, and is consistantly lower in the United States than in most developed countries.
