The Next Dream For generations, marriage was considered a key part of the American Dream. But that trend is quickly changing for younger Americans, especially women: Just 33% of Gen Z women say marriage is integral to achieving the American Dream, compared with 43% of Gen Z men, according to a new CNBC and SurveyMonkey survey. Despite marriage's association with greater wealth and happiness, the potential benefits aren’t enough for some younger Americans to make it an immediate priority.