After decades of decline, the American middle class is no longer the economic majority in the United States, according to new data released Wednesday.
Pew Research Center reports that, this year, the total number of American adults in middle-income ranges fell slightly below the combined number of people in the upper and lower income tiers.
The news comes as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution prepares to publish a special report on the middle class in metro Atlanta. In partnership with the AJC, the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service & Research at Kennesaw State University polled people in 10 metro counties to assess the state of the middle class.
Perhaps not surprisingly, given the decay of the middle class, nearly two-thirds of respondents said things have gotten worse during their lifetimes, and that feeling intensifies as we get older, according to the poll. Even so, some longstanding middle-class values still hold sway.
Come back Friday to myajc.com for extensive coverage, complete results of the poll and a special online calculator that shows where your income lands among people in metro Atlanta.
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