Inflation reached a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While prices have stabilized since then, the cost of living hasn’t gotten any lower. Some ...

Fewer middle-income Americans think their finances will improve next year, a stark signal that household optimism is buckling under higher prices. A new study finds only 21% expect to be better off, ...

Middle-class life in the United States has always been defined less by a single number and more by a bundle of expectations: a stable home, a reliable car, some savings, and a shot at college for the ...

Upper-middle-class status has always been a moving target, but in 2025 the bar has shifted higher and become more dependent on where you live. A salary that once felt aspirational can now be barely ...

The concept of being middle class in America has shifted dramatically. What used to guarantee a comfortable lifestyle now barely covers basic expenses in many areas. With rising costs, changing ...

Geography now defines middle-class life as much as income does.Shrinking middle class numbers reveal deeper shifts in how ...