What’s On Americans’ Bucket Lists, According To A New Survey

Not everyone’s bucket lists are the same.

Yet, while such lists vary based on age, financial status, interests, risk-taking and risk-aversion, and more, travel dominates the list for many Americans.

Recently, Choice Mutual Insurance surveyed nearly 2,000 Americans of varying genders (including males, females, and non-binary individuals) and ages (ranging from 18 to 77).

The goal of the survey was to gain insights into their aspirations.

Whether the lists were mental, digital, or paper-based, an overwhelming majority of Americans, representing 95% of the respondents, expressed having yet-to-be-fulfilled bucket list goals. The average number of items on any individual’s list was 19.

Americans’ Travel Aspirations

Travel aspirations ranked high among the 20 bucket list items overall. These items included:

• Visit specific landmarks in Europe (#1)
• Visit specific landmarks in North America (#2)
• Travel via cruise (#5)
• Travel via train (#6)
• Visit all 50 U.S. States (#8)
• Visit specific landmarks in Asia (#13)
• Travel via plane (#19)
• Visit all U.S. national parks (#20)

The complete list of the Most Common Things on Americans’ Bucket Lists is shown below.

Many items not explicitly related to travel might be considered travel-related (e.g., skydiving, buying a vacation home, learning a new language).

Other items mentioned on the top 20 were financial (e.g., becoming a millionaire, retiring early, and starting a business). The survey also found that 86 percent of respondents said their financial situation prevented them from accomplishing all the items on their lists.

The Value of a Bucket List

An article written by researchers with the Stanford School of Medicine Longevity and Healthy Aging initiative explained the importance of bucket lists:

“The focus of a bucket list is to live a life with hopes and aspirations. Making a bucket list allows us to reflect on our values and goals, and identify important milestones and experiences that we want to have in our lifetime.”

Also, as people grow older, their interests, priorities, and ability to navigate travel challenges evolve.

The researchers emphasize that creating and maintaining a bucket list should be an ongoing process, subject to review and refinement over time. Dr. Periyakoil, a Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of Research at Stanford, updates her list annually.

Regardless of age or circumstances, both time and money are finite resources. The survey is a reminder that maintaining a concise and practical bucket list helps ensure that we allocate these resources in meaningful ways.