Middle-class Americans remain the largest income group in the United States, but their share of the overall population is shrinking. In 2023, 51% of Americans lived in middle-class households, according a Pew Research Center analysis. That was down from 61% in 1971. Over the same time period, the share of Americans who live in lower-income and upper-income households expanded. What this means is that if you want to remain in the middle class — or move into a higher bracket — you need the right combination ...