But in other places, the shrinking middle class is actually a sign of economic gains, as more people who were once middle class have joined the ranks at the top. In some metros, the middle class is dwindling primarily because families are falling out of it and into the lower class. As the middle class has shrunk, Pew points out, the lower and upper classes in America have grown in size and significance. The shrinking middle class is in part a reflection of rising income inequality in America, and of the same underlying and uneven economic forces that have fueled the rise of Donald Trump. And 108 experienced both: The middle class shrank as the ranks of both the poor and the rich grew.

Source: Washington Post May 11, 2016 15:41 UTC