Fewer Americans Are Identifying as Middle-Class
According to Gallup polls, the number of Americans who self-identify as below middle-class, including those who identify as working-class, is on the rise — a rise especially pronounced among those age 18–34.
More Republicans are likely to identify as working-class than Democrats. (Alberto Casetta / Unsplash)
The United States is the country where everyone feels middle class, right? No.
Gallup is out with the latest edition of a question it’s asked ten times over the last twenty years: “If you were asked to use one of these five names for your social class, which would you say you belong in?” When they did the survey in April, the largest set of respondents said “middle,” 38% — but that’s not much more than a third. Almost as many, 35%, said “working” (a term that has often been pronounced obsolete).
Here’s some more detail:
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.