Union membership rate versus the middle class's share of aggregate income, 1967–2013
| Year | Union membership rate | Middle-class share of total income |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 28.3% | 52.3% |
| 1968 | 28.2 | 53.2 |
| 1969 | 28.0 | 52.9 |
| 1970 | 27.8 | 52.7 |
| 1971 | 27.2 | 52.4 |
| 1972 | 26.6 | 51.9 |
| 1973 | 26.6 | 51.9 |
| 1974 | 26.2 | 52.2 |
| 1975 | 24.6 | 52.1 |
| 1976 | 24.5 | 52.0 |
| 1977 | 24.1 | 51.8 |
| 1978 | 23.4 | 51.7 |
| 1979 | 24.4 | 51.6 |
| 1980 | 23.3 | 51.7 |
| 1981 | 21.7 | 51.6 |
| 1982 | 21.0 | 51.0 |
| 1983 | 20.3 | 50.9 |
| 1984 | 19.1 | 50.8 |
| 1985 | 18.2 | 50.4 |
| 1986 | 17.7 | 50.2 |
| 1987 | 17.3 | 50.0 |
| 1988 | 17.0 | 49.8 |
| 1989 | 16.6 | 49.3 |
| 1990 | 16.3 | 49.5 |
| 1991 | 16.3 | 49.7 |
| 1992 | 16.0 | 49.4 |
| 1993 | 16.0 | 47.6 |
| 1994 | 15.7 | 47.3 |
| 1995 | 15.1 | 47.6 |
| 1996 | 14.7 | 47.4 |
| 1997 | 14.2 | 47.1 |
| 1998 | 14.1 | 47.2 |
| 1999 | 14.0 | 47.0 |
| 2000 | 13.6 | 46.7 |
| 2001 | 13.7 | 46.3 |
| 2002 | 13.5 | 46.9 |
| 2003 | 13.0 | 46.9 |
| 2004 | 12.6 | 46.6 |
| 2005 | 12.5 | 46.2 |
| 2006 | 12.1 | 46.0 |
| 2007 | 12.2 | 46.9 |
| 2008 | 12.5 | 46.6 |
| 2009 | 12.4 | 46.4 |
| 2010 | 12.0 | 46.5 |
| 2011 | 11.9 | 45.7 |
| 2012 | 11.3 | 45.7 |
| 2013 | 11.3 | 45.8 |
Note: The middle class is defined here as the middle 60 percent of U.S. households.
Source: Adapted from Keith Miller and David Madland, "New Census Data Once Again Illustrate Importance of Unions to the Middle Class," Center for American Progress, September 18, 2014