Even Americans earning more than $155,000 now call themselves ‘working class’—a sign of how far the affordability crisis has spread

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Fortune
Even Americans earning more than $155,000 now call themselves ‘working class’—a sign of how far the affordability crisis has spreadWorldPing
Image via Fortune.

What happened

A new Pew study found 60% of U.S. adults identify as working class, up from 54% two years ago—and half of the country's top earners say the label fits.

Key facts

  • A new Pew study found 60% of U.S. adults identify as working class, up from 54% two years ago—and half of the country's top earners say the label fits.
  • Reported by Fortune and published Mon, 14 Sep 2026 06:34:00 UTC.

Why it matters

Economic releases and corporate results feed directly into rate expectations, currency moves and equity pricing, so the detail here often matters more to markets than the headline itself.

What to watch next

  • Revisions to the initial figures once fuller data is released
  • How rate expectations and index futures respond
  • Guidance or commentary from the companies and policymakers involved

Sources

The original report was published by Fortune. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Fortune

Follow the story

Living hubs that keep updating as this story develops.

Related WorldPing coverage

The Verge
WorldPing
The Verge

Apple is reportedly working on iPhone game controllers

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is developing two game controllers for the iPhone and will likely sell them under the Beats brand. Rumors that Apple might enter the game controller business have circulated for some time.

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by The Verge