Are We Living in America’s Next Golden Age?

Every so often, a phrase starts floating around with just enough frequency to make you stop and notice it.

Lately, that phrase is this: “We’ve officially entered the golden age of America.” As a matter of fact, one of my clients mentioned this to me in a text last week.   

It stopped me in my tracks and caused me to ponder. 
 
It is a bold statement. Maybe even an uncomfortable one, especially after several years marked by a pandemic, inflation, political division, and a steady drumbeat of pessimism. And yet, more people are saying it out loud. Not quietly. Not tentatively. Confidently.
So what is going on?

The Case for Optimism. Those arguing we are entering a golden age usually start with technology, and for good reason.

Artificial intelligence has moved from theory to tool in record time. Tasks that once took days now take minutes. Entire industries are being rethought, not gradually, but all at once. History tells us that when productivity jumps suddenly and broadly, economic growth follows.
We have seen this movie before during the Industrial Revolution, the postwar manufacturing boom, and the early days of the internet. Each era felt chaotic at the time. Each one, in hindsight, marked a period of outsized progress.

There is also the matter of resilience. Over the past decade, the United States has weathered trade disruptions, a global shutdown, inflation, banking stress, and geopolitical uncertainty. And yet capital continues to flow into American markets. The dollar remains dominant. U.S. companies still lead globally. By comparison, many peer economies are struggling with demographic decline, energy dependence, or structural stagnation.

Relative strength does not always feel like strength, but in global terms, it matters.
The Counterargument. Of course, not everyone is buying the golden age narrative.
Housing affordability remains a serious challenge. Healthcare costs continue to rise. Income inequality is real. Trust in institutions is fragile. And for many families, the idea that we are living in some kind of economic renaissance feels disconnected from daily reality.
That skepticism is healthy. Historically, so called golden ages have never been evenly distributed. They tend to reward those positioned to adapt early, while others feel left behind.

The Real Question. Which brings us to the most important point.
Golden ages are not usually declared by historians. They are declared by participants, often while they are still unfolding, and often with disagreement.
The more useful question is not whether we are in a golden age.
It is this: Are you positioned to benefit if we are?
Because if history is any guide, periods of rapid change do not wait for consensus. They reward preparation, adaptability, and long term thinking. They punish complacency.
Whether this moment becomes known as a golden age, or just another missed opportunity, will likely depend less on national headlines and more on individual decisions.
And those decisions, as always, are still very much within our control.

Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104. His website is allencbuchanan.blogspot.com.