The Elusive Middle in America – What Has Happened to Middle-Class Income?

by

Gary Koenig, AARP Public Policy Institute

Mikki Waid, AARP Public Policy Institute

This paper by AARP Public Policy Institute’s Gary Koenig reports that the middle class today is smaller as well as older, more educated, more racially and ethnically diverse, and more likely

to be single than middle-class households in the past. It notes that most Americans identify themselves as middle class and that “middle class” is not synonymous with “middle income.” 

However, due to the broad availability of data on Americans’ income, researchers typically use income as an indicator of membership in the middle class.  The paper shows what it means to be

“middle class” under three income-based definitions and analyzes economic trends affecting Americans in the middle income brackets

MORE FROM AARP

AARP Research Insights on Financial Resilience

AARP Research on financial resilience highlights U.S. adults' experiences with savings and planning, workforce and employers, fraud, and Social Security.

The Longevity Economy® Outlook

People age 50 and older are fueling economic growth, stimulating jobs, and creating opportunities for all.

A Look at College Costs across Generations

This report compares college costs from 1964-1965 up through the present day.

The Student Loan Debt Threat: An Intergenerational Problem

This paper examines the landscape of student loan debt with a focus on older borrowers

{ "maxItems":5, "itemsPerRow":"3", "rows":"4", "loadMore":"6", "adsNum":"0", "resultsLength":"5" }