Key Takeaways
- 73% of Americans say they belong to the middle class or working class, according to a Gallup survey.
- Elevated inflation is threatening the living standards of a growing number of Americans.
- Middle-class income currently ranges from a little under $40,000 to a little over $119,000.
- The definition of middle class extends beyond income to factors like education, location and marital status.
Understanding where you fall in the American economic class system isn’t as simple as pulling out a calculator or looking at a pay stub. Various forces shape individuals’ economic classes and their views on where they rank among other Americans.
Read on to find out more about how Americans view themselves economically and the ever-changing definition of the middle class.
How Americans Identify Their Social Classes
Among Americans, 73% say they belong to the middle or working classes, according to an April 2022 survey from Gallup.
Additionally, 14% identify themselves as upper-middle class and 2% categorize themselves as upper class. In determining their social classes, people often don’t think only about income, experts say, but about other factors like education, location and family history.
The majority of participants in a 2023 poll by the Washington Post, for instance, said that Americans need to do the following to be considered part of the…
