Over the last year, middle-income Americans have started to behave more like lower-income consumers, an economist noted. More inflation and a tight job market in 2025 stand to increase pressure on a group that is already financially spread thin.

The middle class is something often talked about, but seldom measured. Recently, government planners have been talking not only about reducing poverty but also about increasing the middle class. I suppose they mainly intend for some formerly poor families to be promoted to the status of middle class (henceforth abbreviated MC).

In recent years, economic shifts have reshaped the financial landscape for the middle class. From housing to education, many things that were once considered attainable are now out of reach for