" From Middle to Shaky Ground " is based on the Middle Class Security Index , co-developed by Demos and IASP / Brandeis , which uses government data and measures the financial security of the middle class by rating household stability across five core economic factors : assets , educational achievement , housing costs , budget and healthcare . Based on how a family ranked in each of these factors , they were defined as financially " secure , " " borderline " or " at risk . " In addition to the report , Demos and IASP / Brandeis have published an " Economic Security Scorecard " that the average family can use to measure where they fall on the Middle Class Security Index .