America's Shrinking Middle Class
| Highest | Upper Middle | Middle | Lower middle | Lowest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 4 | 10 | 61 | 9 | 16 |
| 1981 | 3 | 12 | 59 | 9 | 17 |
| 1991 | 5 | 12 | 56 | 9 | 18 |
| 2001 | 7 | 11 | 54 | 9 | 18 |
| 2011 | 8 | 12 | 51 | 9 | 20 |
% of Americans in each income tier
Year
%
Sources:
pewsocialtrends.org
| Highest | Upper Middle | Middle | Lower middle | Lowest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 4 | 10 | 61 | 9 | 16 |
| 1981 | 3 | 12 | 59 | 9 | 17 |
| 1991 | 5 | 12 | 56 | 9 | 18 |
| 2001 | 7 | 11 | 54 | 9 | 18 |
| 2011 | 8 | 12 | 51 | 9 | 20 |