By 2030, the middle-class population in Asia-Pacific is expected to increase from 1.38 billion people in 2015 to 3.49 billion people. In comparison, the middle-class population of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase from 114 million in 2015 to 212 million in 2030.

Worldwide wealth

While the middle-class has been on the rise, there is still a huge disparity in global wealth and income. The United States had the highest number of individuals belonging to the top one percent of wealth holders, and the value of global wealth is only expected to increase over the coming years. Around 57 percent of the world’s population had assets valued at less than 10,000 U.S. dollars; while less than one percent had assets of more than million U.S. dollars. Asia had the highest percentage of investable assets in the world in 2018, whereas Oceania had the highest percent of non-investable assets.

The middle-class

The middle class is the group of people whose income falls in the middle of the scale. China accounted for over half of the global population for middle-class wealth in 2017. In the United States, the debate about the middle class “disappearing” has been a popular topic due to the increase in wealth to the top billionaires in the nation. Due to this, there have been arguments to increase taxes on the rich to help support the middle-class.

This statistic compares the share of the global wealth middle class population in China in 2000 and 2020. In 2020, China accounted for around 40 percent of the global wealth middle class population, an increase from around 29 percent in 2000.

This poll, fielded April 1-5, 2009, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and issues such as the economy and foreign policy. A series of questions addressed the Obama Administration's approach to solving economic problems and whether the administration's policies favored the rich, the middle class, or the poor. Respondents gave their opinions of First Lady Michelle Obama, the United States Congress, the Republican and Democratic parties, and whether President Obama or the Republicans in Congress were more likely to make the right decisions about the national economy and national security. Views were sought on President Obama's proposed budget plan, including changes in federal income taxes and government spending, and proposals to give financial assistance to the banking and automotive industries. A series of questions addressed the condition of the national economy, the most important economic problem facing the nation, the financial situation of the respondent's household, and how the recession was affecting their life. Respondents compared their current standard of living with that of their parents at the same age and gave their expectations about the standard of living of their children. Other questions asked respondents what the phrase "American dream" meant to them and whether they had achieved the "American dream" or expected to in their lifetime. Additional topics addressed the bonuses given to AIG insurance company executives, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, international trade, health insurance coverage, and government spending on cancer research. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, marital status, household income, employment status, perceived social class, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status and participation history, religious preference, whether respondents had children under the age of 18 years, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the 50th to 90th Wealth Percentiles (WFRBSN40188) from Q3 1989 to Q1 2025 about net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

This data collection focuses on the federal budget deficit and on issues dealing with the rich and the poor in America. Respondents were asked if they approved of the way George Bush, Democrats in Congress, and Republicans in Congress were handling the the federal budget deficit, and who was more to blame for the larger deficit. Additionally, respondents were asked how much money it takes to be rich in the United States, whether they would want to be rich, how likely it was that they would ever be rich or poor, whether the percentage of Americans who are rich was increasing, and whether they respected and admired rich people. Other questions asked respondents if they characterized rich people as more likely to be honest, snobbish, intelligent, and a variety of other traits, whether respondents would be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who was a millionaire/self-made millionaire, and which political party better represented the interests of poor, rich, and middle class people. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, 1988 presidential vote choice, registered voter status, education, age, religion, social class, marital status, number of people in the household, labor union membership, employment status, race, income, sex, and state/region of residence.

This statistic shows the median net worth of upper-income families as a multiple of middle-income families in the United States from 1983 to 2013. The income relation has increased from 3.4 in 1983 to 6.6 in 2013, indicating that the wealth gap between middle-income and upper-income families has increased drastically over time.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the Top 1% (99th to 100th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBST01134) from Q3 1989 to Q1 2025 about net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

Abstract

Dataset used in World Bank Policy Research Working Paper #2876, published in World Bank Economic Review, No. 1, 2005, pp. 21-44.

The effects of globalization on income distribution in rich and poor countries are a matter of controversy. While international trade theory in its most abstract formulation implies that increased trade and foreign investment should make income distribution more equal in poor countries and less equal in rich countries, finding these effects has proved elusive. The author presents another attempt to discern the effects of globalization by using data from household budget surveys and looking at the impact of openness and foreign direct investment on relative income shares of low and high deciles. The author finds some evidence that at very low average income levels, it is the rich who benefit from openness. As income levels rise to those of countries such as Chile, Colombia, or Czech Republic, for example, the situation changes, and it is the relative income of the poor and the middle class that rises compared with the rich. It seems that openness makes income distribution worse before making it better-or differently in that the effect of openness on a country's income distribution depends on the country's initial income level.

Kind of data

Aggregate data [agg]

The highest share of the middle-class population among federal subjects of Russia was observed in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, where nearly four in ten households were classified as belonging to the middle class between 2022 and 2023. The Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and the Magadan Oblast closely followed, with a share of 32.5 percent and 31.9 percent, respectively.

Affluent Americans used to vote for Republican politicians. Now they vote for Democrats. In this paper, I show detailed evidence for this decades-in-the-making trend and argue that it has important consequences for the U.S. politics of economic inequality and redistribution. Beginning in the 1990s, the Democratic Party has won increasing shares of rich, upper-middle income, high-income occupation, and stock-owning voters. This appears true across voters of all races and ethnicities, is concentrated among (but not exclusive to) college-educated voters, and is only true among voters living in larger metropolitan areas. In the 2010s, Democratic candidates' electoral appeal among affluent voters reached above-majority levels. I echo other scholars in maintaining that this trend is partially driven by increasingly “culturally liberal” views of educated voters and party elite polarization on those issues, but I additionally argue that the evolution and stasis of the parties' respective economic policy agendas has also been a necessary condition for the changing behavior of affluent voters. This reversal of an American politics truism means that the Democratic Party's attempts to cohere around an economically redistributive policy agenda in an era of rising inequality face real barriers.

This dataset is one which highlights the demographics of Upper-Middle Class people living in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India and attempts to, through various methods of statistical analysis, establish a relationship between several of these demographic details.

Material wealth is a key factor shaping human development and well-being. Every year, hundreds of studies in social science and policy fields assess material wealth in low- and middle-income countries assuming that there is a single dimension by which households can move from poverty to prosperity. However, a one-dimensional model may miss important kinds of prosperity, particularly in countries where traditional subsistence-based livelihoods coexist with modern cash economies. Using multiple correspondence analysis to analyze representative household data from six countries—Nepal, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Guatemala—across three world regions, we identify a number of independent dimension of wealth, each with a clear link to locally relevant pathways to success in cash and agricultural economies. In all cases, the first dimension identified by this approach replicates standard one-dimensional estimates and captures success in cash economies. The novel dimensions we identify reflect success in different agricultural sectors and are independently associated with key benchmarks of food security and human growth, such as adult body mass index and child height. The multidimensional models of wealth we describe here provide new opportunities for examining the causes and consequences of wealth inequality that go beyond success in cash economies, for tracing the emergence of hybrid pathways to prosperity, and for assessing how these different pathways to economic success carry different health risks and social opportunities.

Graph and download economic data for Real Median Family Income in the United States (MEFAINUSA672N) from 1953 to 2023 about family, median, income, real, and USA.

In the financial year 2021, a majority of Indian households fell under the aspirers category, earning between ******* and ******* Indian rupees a year. On the other hand, about ***** percent of households that same year, accounted for the rich, earning over * million rupees annually. The middle class more than doubled that year compared to ** percent in financial year 2005. Middle-class income group and the COVID-19 pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic specifically during the lockdown in March 2020, loss of incomes hit the entire household income spectrum. However, research showed the severest affected groups were the upper middle- and middle-class income brackets. In addition, unemployment rates were rampant nationwide that further lead to a dismally low GDP. Despite job recoveries over the last few months, improvement in incomes were insignificant. Economic inequality While India maybe one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it is also one of the most vulnerable and severely afflicted economies in terms of economic inequality. The vast discrepancy between the rich and poor has been prominent since the last ***** decades. The rich continue to grow richer at a faster pace while the impoverished struggle more than ever before to earn a minimum wage. The widening gaps in the economic structure affect women and children the most. This is a call for reinforcement in in the country’s social structure that emphasizes access to quality education and universal healthcare services.

BackgroundAdult height is a useful biological measure of long term population health and well being. We examined the cohort differences and socioeconomic patterning in adult height in low- to middle-income countries. Methods/FindingsWe analyzed cross-sectional, representative samples of 364538 women aged 25-49 years drawn from 54 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 1994 and 2008. Linear multilevel regression models included year of birth, household wealth, education, and area of residence, and accounted for clustering by primary sampling units and countries. Attained height was measured using an adjustable measuring board. A yearly change in birth cohorts starting with those born in 1945 was associated with a 0.0138 cm (95% CI 0.0107, 0.0169) increase in height. Increases in heights in more recent birth year cohorts were largely concentrated in women from the richer wealth quintiles. 35 of the 54 countries experienced a decline (14) or stagnation (21) in height. The decline in heights was largely concentrated among the poorest wealth quintiles. There was a strong positive association between height and household wealth; those in two richest quintiles of household wealth were 1.988 cm (95% CI 1.886, 2.090) and 1.018 cm (95% CI 0.916, 1.120) taller, compared to those in the poorest wealth quintile. The strength of the association between wealth and height was positive (0.05 to 1.16) in 96% (52/54) countries. ConclusionsSocioeconomic inequalities in height remain persistent. Height has stagnated or declined over the last decades in low- to middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, suggesting worsening nutritional and environmental circumstances during childhood.

Over ** million Russians aged 20 years and above, or approximately ** percent of the total adult population of the country, had wealth under 10,000 U.S. dollars in 2022. To compare, on average around the globe, the share of residents belonging to this wealth range was measured at **** percent in the same year. Economic inequality in Russia The latest available data by the World Bank recorded Russia’s Gini index, used as a measurement of income or wealth inequality, at **. The organization classified Russia as an upper-middle-income economy. Over ** percent of Russians considered themselves belonging to the middle class in 2020. HNWIs in Russia Approximately *** percent of Russian adults, or ******* residents, owned over *********** U.S. dollars, or were referred to as high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). In 2021, the total wealth of the adult population in the country reached nearly *** trillion U.S. dollars. A significant portion of it belonged to roughly ***** ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) whose net worth exceeded ** billion U.S. dollars.

Market Size and Growth: The Japan Wealth Management Industry has a significant market size of 4.49 million and is projected to grow at a steady CAGR of 4.12% during the forecast period (2025-2033). The growth is attributed to factors such as rising affluence, increasing demand for personalized wealth management solutions, and a favorable regulatory environment that encourages long-term savings. Market Dynamics: Key drivers of the industry include the growing middle class and the aging population, which are leading to an increase in the number of high-net-worth individuals and a need for tailored wealth management services. Other factors contributing to growth are the rise of robo-advisors and fintech solutions, making wealth management more accessible and affordable. However, challenges such as low interest rates and competition from traditional banks may restrain market expansion. The industry is segmented by client type (retail, pension funds, insurance companies, banks, others), type of mandate (investment funds, discretionary mandates), asset class (equity, fixed income, cash/money market, other asset classes), and region (Japan). Major players in the market include Nomura Asset Management, Nikko Asset Management, and Daiwa Asset Management, among others. Recent developments include: July 2023: Nikko Asset Management and Osmosis (Holdings) Limited announced a non-binding agreement for a strategic partnership. Under this agreement, Nikko AM aims to acquire a minority stake in Osmosis and obtain distribution rights for Osmosis' investment products and strategies.March 2022: Allianz Real Estate, a global real estate investment manager, finalized an agreement to purchase a portfolio of high-quality multi-family residential properties in Tokyo for around USD 90 million. This acquisition was made on behalf of the Allianz Real Estate Asia-Pacific Japan Multi-Family Fund.March 2022: KKR & Co. announced its acquisition of Japanese real estate asset manager Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty Inc. (MC-UBSR) for JPY 230 billion (USD 1.94 billion). This move was expected to strengthen the US private equity firm's footprint in Japan. The acquisition involved KKR purchasing MC-UBSR from Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.T) and UBS Asset Management.. Key drivers for this market are: Aging Population Led to a Growing Demand for Retirement Planning and Wealth Management Services, Growing Demand for Investment Products and Services. Potential restraints include: Aging Population Led to a Growing Demand for Retirement Planning and Wealth Management Services, Growing Demand for Investment Products and Services. Notable trends are: ESG Integration Reshaping Japan's Asset Management Landscape.

Rising inequality has raised concerns that democratic governments are no longer responding to majority demands, an argument we label the Subversion of Democracy Model (SDM). It comes in two varieties. One uses public opinion data to show that policies are strongly biased towards to the preferences of the rich; another uses macro-level data to show that governments are not responding to rising inequality. This paper critically reassesses the SDM. We point to potential biases and propose solutions that suggest a different interpretation of the data, which we label the Representative Democracy Model (RDM). We test the SDM against the RDM on both public opinion data and on a new dataset on fiscal policy and find that middle-class power has remained remarkably strong over time, even as inequality has risen. The rich have little influence on redistributive policies, and the democratic state appears not to be increasingly constrained by global capital.

In the first quarter of 2024, almost two-thirds percent of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest 50 percent of earners only owned 2.5 percent of the total wealth. Income inequality in the U.S. Despite the idea that the United States is a country where hard work and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps will inevitably lead to success, this is often not the case. In 2023, 7.4 percent of U.S. households had an annual income under 15,000 U.S. dollars. With such a small percentage of people in the United States owning such a vast majority of the country’s wealth, the gap between the rich and poor in America remains stark. The top one percent The United States follows closely behind China as the country with the most billionaires in the world. Elon Musk alone held around 219 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Over the past 50 years, the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio has exploded, causing the gap between rich and poor to grow, with some economists theorizing that this gap is the largest it has been since right before the Great Depression.

Association between selected covariates and discrimination against women in Bangladesh.