This Pew Research Center report looks at Americans’ views of economic inequality, including what factors they think contribute to it and who they believe should be responsible for reducing inequality. It also explores trends in income and wealth inequality.

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, the media and decision-makers understand important topics. This analysis builds on our previous work on economic issues.

The analysis of Americans’ views of economic inequality is based primarily on a Pew Research Center survey of 5,166 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 24-30, 2026. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey is designed to represent the views of all U.S. adults.

Here are the survey questions used for this report, the detailed responses and the survey methodology.

In addition to survey data, the report also examines the trends in the typical income and wealth of lower-, middle- and upper-income households using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other standard government sources.

About six-in-ten Americans (61%) say there is too much economic inequality in the United States, a view that is far more common among Democrats and Democratic leaners than Republicans and GOP leaners (78% vs. 42%).

These figures are unchanged from 2019. But some views about inequality and how to address it have shifted in that time.

Among those who say there is too much economic inequality in the U.S.:

Both Democrats and Republicans who see too much inequality are now more likely to say the country’s economic system requires major changes or needs to be completely rebuilt in order to address it.

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