How the American middle class has changed in the past five decades
The share of adults who live in middle-class households fell from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to a new analysis.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The share of adults who live in middle-class households fell from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to a new analysis.
Nearly one-in-five middle-income families report receiving unemployment benefits in 2020.
In the United States, the transience of economic status varies significantly across racial and ethnic groups and by level of education.
Amid rising inequality, many Americans feel that the U.S. economic system is unfair and generally favors powerful special interests.
The global middle class consisted of 54 million fewer people in 2020 than the number projected prior to the onset of the pandemic.
17% of the global population could be considered middle income in 2020. Most people were either low income (51%) or poor (10%).
17% of the global population could be considered middle income in 2020. Most people were either low income (51%) or poor (10%).
The course of the pandemic in India and China will have a substantial effect on changes in the distribution of income at the global level.
About half of U.S. adults lived in middle-income households in 2018, according to our new analysis of government data.
About six-in-ten U.S. adults say there’s too much economic inequality in the country these days, and among that group, most say addressing it requires significant changes to the country’s economic system, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
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