Miami's shrinking middle class

[Brickell]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8850472.htm

Miami's middle class shrinking

Increasing the size of Miami's middle class might be the most important challenge facing the area in the coming years, according to a report by the Brookings Institution.

BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ

[email protected]

Miami's relatively small middle class is dwindling, a trend that endangers the future economic vitality of all of Miami-Dade County, according to a report released today by the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

Using information from a variety of sources, including U.S. Census data and federal economic and labor statistics, the report, titled ''Growing the Middle Class: Connecting All Miami-Dade Residents to Economic Opportunity,'' portrays Miami-Dade as a community of enormous potential but one nonetheless struggling to lead its poor residents into prosperity or keep the middle class households it already has.

Among the report's findings: