Economic Realities in America: By The Numbers
— -- In the Diane Sawyer report, "My Reality: A Hidden America," for a special edition of ABC News “20/20,” ABC News chronicles a reality of millions of Americans working harder than ever but struggling to stay in the middle class, or striving to get in. For so many, the American Dream’s opportunities seem to have dwindled. The numbers that follow are part of a larger conversation about today’s middle class and hard-working poor.
68 – The percentage of the country’s income growth since 1980 that went to the top 10% of earners. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
0 – The percentage of the country’s income growth since 1980 that went to the entire bottom half of earners. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
117 – The number of million Americans whose income has fallen or barely kept up with inflation in almost four decades. That is half of the country. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
45 – The percentage of middle income millennials who earn more than their parents did at the same age, adjusted for inflation. A half century ago, 93% of middle income Americans earned more than their parents had, adjusted for inflation. (National Bureau of Economic Research)
50 – The percentage of Americans who are middle class. In 1971, it was 61 percent. (Pew Research Center)
92 – The number of metro areas where buying a home is unaffordable for families making a median household income. (Center for Housing Policy)
53 – The percentage of Americans who say they do not have enough savings to cover three months of living expenses if they lose their job. (Federal Reserve Survey, 2015)
56 – The percentage of the fastest growing new jobs that will pay, on average, under $12 an hour. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, analyzed by ABC News)
73 – The percentage of public assistance that goes to working families (UC Berkeley Labor Center)
56,516 – The annual median household income in the United States. (US Census Bureau)
