State of American Men 2026

O State of American Men 2026, a new report  from Equimundo, YouGov, and Young Men Research Project, explores the lives and minds of young men aged 18-29 in the United States today. Economic uncertainty remains an anchoring theme of young men in 2026: most believe they’ve gotten the short end of the stick compared to previous generations. But this yearning for the past isn’t limited to the economy.

There are signs that this generation pines for a different time altogether. As one young man put it: an age “before social media,” when you had time to “think about the deeper things … more time with yourself, more time with others and family, even just simple gestures like holding the door for somebody.” While the past is looked at fondly and the present is marred by financial distress, a majority of young men (54 percent) still believe they can fulfill the American Dream. Faith is not evenly distributed, however: young men with a college degree are significantly more likely to believe they will achieve a more stable and meaningful future.