America's middle class: new study suggests it's shrinking
Story from The Takeaway. Listen to the audio for a complete report.
The American middle class is shrinking. That's the conclusion of a new study from the Russell Sage Foundation and Brown University out this week.
According to the study, based on four decades of Census figures, the portion of Americans living in neighborhoods dominated by those who are poor and those who are rich have doubled, said Sean Reardon, one of the study's authors. That could mean major changes for how American communities develop and thrive.
"Higher income families who have more resources to invest in their communities and invest on behalf of their kids, it's more likely their investments will only benefit the children from higher income families," he said. "That risks increasing inequality even more and making the American Dream less and less possible," Reardon said.

