Economic Inequality Seen as Major Challenge Around the World
Across 36 countries, a median of 54% say the gap between the rich and poor is a very big problem in their nation.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Economic Inequality
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A booming U.S. stock market doesn’t benefit all racial and ethnic groups equally
Nearly two-thirds of White families (66%) owned stocks directly or indirectly, compared with 39% of Black families and 28% of Hispanic families.
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Black Americans’ Views on Success in the U.S.
While Black adults define personal and financial success in different ways, most see these measures of success as major sources of pressure in their lives.
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Wealth Surged in the Pandemic, but Debt Endures for Poorer Black and Hispanic Families
About one-in-four Black households and one-in-seven Hispanic households had no wealth or were in debt in 2021, compared with about one-in-ten U.S. households overall.
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Most Black adults in the U.S. are optimistic about their financial future
68% of Black adults in the U.S. say they do not have enough income to lead the kind of life they want, but a majority are optimistic that they will one day.
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Black Americans view capitalism more negatively than positively but express hope in Black businesses
In an August 2022 survey, 54% of Black adults said they had a very or somewhat negative impression of capitalism, up from 40% in May 2019.
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Black and White Americans are far apart in their views of reparations for slavery
Overall, 30% of U.S. adults say descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way. 68% say they should not be repaid.
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Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen
Black Americans support significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions to ensure fair treatment. Yet even as they assess inequality and ideas about progress, many are pessimistic about whether society and institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism.
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Black and Hispanic Americans, those with less education are more likely to fall out of the middle class each year
In the United States, the transience of economic status varies significantly across racial and ethnic groups and by level of education.
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How the American middle class has changed in the past five decades
The share of adults who live in middle-class households fell from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to a new analysis.
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COVID-19 Pandemic Pinches Finances of America’s Lower- and Middle-Income Families
Nearly one-in-five middle-income families report receiving unemployment benefits in 2020.
