A Pew Research Center analysis finds that 60% of U.S. adults say the term “working class” describes them well. The identity extends across income and educational backgrounds, with half of Americans who have a bachelor’s degree and half of upper-income adults also identifying as working class.
The study additionally finds Republicans are more likely than Democrats to identify as working class, even after accounting for differences in income, education, occupation, and other factors
The data for the question on working-class identification comes from a Center survey of 8,512 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 20-26, 2026. Everyone who took this survey is part of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey reflects the views of all U.S. adults.