60% of Americans Now Identify as Working Class

A Pew Research Center survey from January 2026 found 60% of U.S. adults identify as 'working class,' up from 54% in 2024. Half of college graduates and half of upper-income adults earning above $155,600 annually now also see themselves as working class. The shift reflects widespread financial anxiety as inflation erodes paychecks and milestones like homeownership become harder to achieve.