In a society moving towards greater racial equity as well as greater racial diversity, we would expect to see the uppermost classes becoming more heterogeneous. So: how white is the upper middle class (defined here, as in Dream Hoarders, as the top income quintile)? Is it less white than in the past? If so, which racial group or groups are moving onto the top ladder? These are the questions we address here.

It is perhaps not surprising that the top rung of the income ladder is disproportionately white, given stubborn race gaps in upward mobility, housing segregation and its legacy, and educational inequalities.

But it would be reasonable to expect the picture to have improved over time. But, with the notable exception of the ascent of Asian Americans, it has not.

The racial composition of the top quintile compared to the whole household income distribution (for our age cohort) shows considerable stability over time.

Read the full article on the upper middle class by Richard V. Reeves and Nathan Joo at Brookings