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In reply to the discussion: They once inhabited a vast swath of North America but their numbers have been greatly reduced [View all]bhikkhu
(10,751 posts)25. Data is easy
This graphic is from the Pew research center, but agrees largely with Census Bureau and BLS data.
So you just need to know US population numbers for 1970 and 2015, which were 200 million and 318 million, respectively, and then do a little math. The graphic heading is "the middle class is shrinking", a statement accurate according when referring to percentages. More shrinkage is due to people bumping up to the upper classes, but the 4% dropping down to the lower income classes is the real concern.
The income numbers looked at are here:
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They once inhabited a vast swath of North America but their numbers have been greatly reduced [View all]
Fumesucker
Jun 2016
OP
It's not just the labels. The 50% who are "middle class" are more squeezed than before
Bucky
Jun 2016
#35
"the largest losses in the middle class since 1970 are due to people becoming wealthy"
Phlem
Jun 2016
#48
I started with the simple statement that the number of people in the middle class has been growing
bhikkhu
Jun 2016
#93
There is no doubt that the number of people in lower income households has been rising
bhikkhu
Jun 2016
#92
Too little too late. Look at my last post. And your links just prove my point.
passiveporcupine
Jun 2016
#89
So according to you, if 95% of 2,000 purple eyed people die at age 2 years old
angstlessk
Jun 2016
#13
I would say its good that we have added 30 million or so to the middle class since 1970
bhikkhu
Jun 2016
#16
demographic changes...vietnam is now a labor competitor? THAT demographic change?
angstlessk
Jun 2016
#15
Yet almost everyone misses that 75% more people moved into the upper class than fell into the lower
whatthehey
Jun 2016
#47
Again, of course all segments of society will grow as the population grows.
passiveporcupine
Jun 2016
#84
For sure. Already posted in Good Reads but for whatever reason not much traffic.
appalachiablue
Jun 2016
#39
Ah it makes perfect sense now. So if 50% of Americans, about 160 million, are middle class
A Simple Game
Jun 2016
#36
this says the middle class is shrinking but you've been stating the middle class is growing
passiveporcupine
Jun 2016
#83
Glad to see you understand the middle class shrunk due to the wealthy stealing from the working
Rex
Jun 2016
#56