About the ADI

The ADI captures the impact of globalization on the attainment of the American Dream at the local level.

The Lab’s first major initiative was to create an American Dream Index that ranks cities and counties based on their ability to leverage globalization to improve the lives of the median voter. This index focuses on four core components of the American Dream: access to housing, healthcare, income mobility, and jobs for both those with and without a college education. Through this process, we are able to identify the local policies, politics, and practices that ensure the benefits of globalization are equitably distributed at the local level, so no one is left behind. With this information, policymakers will be motivated to improve their ranking on the index, which we will publish every three years to remain impactful and policy-relevant.

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  Motivation

Import Penetration Ratio for US Imports from China (left scale) and Share of US Working-Age Population Employed in Manufacturing (right scale) 

  Methodology

  Results