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.
17% of the global population could be considered middle income in 2020. Most people were either low income (51%) or poor (10%).
See where you fit in the distribution of Americans by income tier and metro area. …
Over the past 50 years, the highest-earning 20% of U.S. households have steadily brought in a larger share of the country’s total income.
While the size of the U.S. middle class remained relatively stable between 2002 and 2016, financial gains for middle-income Americans were modest compared with those of higher-income households.
The American middle class is smaller than middle classes across Western Europe, but its income is higher.
In the U.S., the racial and ethnic wealth gap has evolved differently for families at different income levels since the Great Recession.
As part of a new study, Pew Research Center designed income calculators to help you determine where you fit on the income ladder in Western Europe.
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