"The Struggle for Middle-Class Stability in America"

A poll from The Washington Post reveals that while there is widespread agreement among Americans on what it means to be middle class, just over a third of U.S. adults have the financial security to meet that definition. Americans also underestimate the income required for a middle-class lifestyle, with most considering the lower end of the Pew Research Center's income range to be middle class. The most common barrier to achieving middle-class financial security is a comfortable retirement, and the path to middle-class financial security has become more complicated over time. Despite this, the desire for middle-class status remains deeply ingrained in American identity.