What We Do
Our mission is to identify barriers to economic opportunity and develop scalable solutions that will empower people throughout the United States to rise out of poverty and achieve better life outcomes.
The Fading American Dream
The defining feature of the American Dream is upward mobility – the aspiration that all children have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. However, our research shows that children’s chances of earning more than their parents have been declining. 90% of children born in 1940 grew up to earn more than their parents. Today, only half of all children earn more than their parents did.
Opportunity Insights seeks to reverse this trend and revive the American Dream.
Selected Areas of Research
Opportunity Insights is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization based at Harvard University and directed by Raj Chetty, John Friedman, and Nathaniel Hendren. We conduct scientific research using “big data” on how to improve upward mobility and work collaboratively with local stakeholders to translate these research findings into policy change. We also train the next generation of social scientists and practitioners to improve opportunity for all.
