The American middle class is now matched in numbers by those in the economic tiers above and below. In early 2015, it was estimated that 120.8 million adults were considered “middle-income” households, or about 50% of the total U.S. population. While the “middle-class” has been shrinking, the far edges of the income spectrum have shown the most growth. In 2015, 20% of American adults were in the lowest-income tier, up from 16% in 1971. On the opposite side, 9% are in the highest-income tier, more than double the 4% share in 1971. At the same time, the shares of adults in the lower-middle or upper-middle income tiers were nearly unchanged. “Middle-income” Americans are defined as adults whose annual household income is two-thirds to double the national median, about $42,000 to $126,000 annually in 2014 dollars for a household of three. Under this definition, the middle class made up 50% of the U.S. adult population in 2015, down from 61% in 1971. Read more details from the study over at Pew Research Center
