More Americans think of themselves as working class, even as they make more money

A majority of Americans hear themselves in Dolly Parton’s “9-to-5.”

Sixty percent of Americans identify as working class, according to a Pew Research analysis of a January 2026 survey. That’s up from 54% in 2024.

And the label, historically applied to lower-earning workers, resonates across earnings levels. Middle-income families, who make between $51,900 to $155,600 depending on family size and location, identify especially with the term “working class.” More surprisingly, half of high-income families, who earn more than $155,600, identify that way.

That could be because the term itself is ambiguous: As the analysis notes, there’s no one clear…