Which of the following is true regarding the American middle class?

Multiple Choice

It is more vibrant now that at any time in modern American history.

The portion of Americans living in middle$-$class circumstances increased from $51$ percent in $1971$ to $61$ percent in $2011.$

The portion of Americans living in middle$-$class circumstances declined from $61$ percent in $1971$ to $51$ percent in $2011.$

The middle class in America is significantly larger than in almost all of western Europe.