pg_15.07.08_globalmiddleclass_overview_32 | Pew Research Center

August 21, 2026

Despite Poverty’s Plunge, Middle-Class Status Remains Out of Reach for Many

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Despite Poverty’s Plunge, Middle-Class Status Remains Out of Reach for Many
Most Countries that Sharply Reduced Poverty Experienced Little Change in the Share of Middle-Income Populations
Most People in Most Countries in Asia & South Pacific Poor or Low Income
Nine-of-Ten Low-Income People Lived in Asia & South Pacific or Africa in 2011, Up from Eight-in-Ten in 2001
The Share of the Global Poor Living in Asia & South Pacific Falls from 2001 to 2011, and the Share Living in Africa Rises
About Nine-in-Ten High-Income People Lived in Europe or North America in 2001 and 2011
Incomes Stagnate in the U.S. from 2001 to 2011, but Canada and Europe Advance Up the Ladder
Poverty Drops Sharply in India from 2001 to 2011, but a Sizable Middle-Income Population Fails to Emerge
Most People in Countries in Africa Are Poor or Low Income