Who owns American wealth?

In 2023, 97.5% of all net worth —totaling $139.4 trillion — was owned by the 50% of Americans with above-average net worth. The remaining 167 million Americans owned about 2.6% — or $3.6 trillion.

How much wealth does the top 1% own?

As of 2023, the top 1% of American households owned 30.0% of net worth, or 30 cents of every dollar. This has risen from 22.8% in 1990 and 28.4% at the start of the 2008 recession, but is lower than a 2021 peak of 30.9%.

The total net worth of the top 1% in 2023 was $43.0 trillion.

How has wealth distribution changed?

More than 95% of American wealth has been concentrated among the wealthiest half of American households for decades. In 1990, the top 50% by net worth held 96.6% of wealth, less than one percentage point lower than that group’s share in 2023.

That share peaked at 99.6% in 2010 and 2011, when the bottom half of the country’s households by net worth held 0.5% and 0.4% of wealth, respectively.

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