A new Gallup survey finds that most Americans consider themselves members of the middle or working class. Just two percent identify as upper class. 

U.S. adults were asked, “If you were asked to use one of these five names for your social class, which would you say you belong in—upper class, upper-middle class, middle class, working class or lower class?” More than half of Americans (54%) say they are a member of the middle class (39%, “middle class”; 15%, “upper-middle class”). Thirty-one percent of respondents say they are a part of the “working class,” and 12% characterize themselves as “lower class.” 

The number of U.S. adults who say they are members of the working or lower class has increased by eight percentage points (37% to 45%). The report found that social class identification has remained unchanged since 2019, even with declining confidence in the U.S. economy.  

Regarding whether education influences social status, Americans with a higher annual income ($100,00 or more) and college and postgraduate degrees more often identify with the upper or upper-middle class. On the other hand, U.S. adults who report having a lower income (less than $40,000) and only a high school education likely identify as a member of the working or lower class.

“The Great Recession appears to have caused Americans to reevaluate their social class,” Megan Brenan, a research consultant, wrote. “Still, despite persistently high inflation and weak economic confidence over the past few years, a slim majority of Americans continue to identify as members of the middle class. Educational attainment and income level have consistently been closely linked to U.S. adults’ social class identification.”

Read the full report here.