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.

In 2023, roughly 1.49 billion adults worldwide had a net worth of less than 10,000 U.S. dollars. By comparison, 58 million adults had a net worth of more than one million U.S. dollars in the same year. Wealth distribution The distribution of wealth is an indicator of economic inequality. The United Nations says that wealth includes the sum of natural, human, and physical assets. Wealth is not synonymous with income, however, because having a large income can be depleted if one has significant expenses. In 2023, nearly 1,700 billionaires had a total wealth between one to two billion U.S. dollars. Wealth worldwide China had the highest number of billionaires in 2023, with the United States following behind. That same year, New York had the most billionaires worldwide.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the Top 0.1% (99.9th to 100th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBSTP1300) from Q3 1989 to Q4 2024 about shares, net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

In 2022, the most affluent one percent of Spanish population held nearly a fourth of the total personal wealth in the country, while the bottom 50 percent accounted for merely 6.4 percent of it. Wealth inequality in the Mediterranean country is considerably more apparent than income inequality.

Developing a national account-based measure of the distribution of income from the commonly used census-based concept of money income has been the subject of earlier research. We use publicly available survey and administrative data to construct a distribution of personal income after enhancing the top income distribution in the Current Population Survey (2007 and 2012). We show that inequality measures are fairly sensitive to the definition of income contemporaneously and across time. This work helps bridge the gap between micro data and macro statistics and informs about results from other studies, such as Piketty et al. (2018).

In the third quarter of 2024, the top ten percent of earners in the United States held over 67 percent of total wealth. This is fairly consistent with the second quarter of 2024. Comparatively, the wealth of the bottom 50 percent of earners has been slowly increasing since the start of the 2010s, though remains low. Wealth distribution in the United States by generation can be found here.

Graph and download economic data for Real Median Personal Income in the United States (MEPAINUSA672N) from 1974 to 2023 about personal income, personal, median, income, real, and USA.

This table describes the wealth distribution of the sector households in the national accounts over different household groups. Households are identified by main source of income, living situation, household composition, age classes of the head of the household, income class by 20% groups, and net worth class by 20% groups.

Data available from: 2015.

Status of the figures: All data are provisional.

Changes as of October 19th 2023: The figures of 2015-2020 are revised, because national accounts figures are changed due to the revision policy of Statistics Netherlands. Results for 2021 are added to the table.

When will new figures be published? New figures will be released in October 2024.

At the turn of the twentieth century, the wealthiest one percent of people in the United Kingdom controlled 71 percent of net personal wealth, while the top ten percent controlled 93 percent. The share of wealth controlled by the rich in the United Kingdom fell throughout the twentieth century, and by 1990 the richest one percent controlled 16 percent of wealth, and the richest ten percent just over half of it.

This dataset presents aggregated values of Income Distribution as a category of the estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas ABS release. The data spans over the financial years of 2010-11 and is aggregated to the 2016 Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) boundaries. This release presents regional data on the number of income earners, amounts they receive, and the distribution of income for the 2010-11 to 2014-15 financial years. An improved geocoding process has been introduced for this release. As such, previously released estimates for the 2010-11 and 2012-13 financial year have been superseded. The following personal income categories are provided in this census release: Employee Income Own Unincorporated Business Income

This dataset presents aggregated values of Income Distribution as a category of the estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas ABS release. The data spans over the financial years of 2010-11 and is aggregated to the 2016 Local Government Area (LGA) boundaries.

This release presents regional data on the number of income earners, amounts they receive, and the distribution of income for the 2010-11 to 2014-15 financial years. An improved geocoding process has been introduced for this release. As such, previously released estimates for the 2010-11 and 2012-13 financial year have been superseded. The following personal income categories are provided in this census release:

• Employee Income

• Own Unincorporated Business Income

• Investment Income

• Superannuation Income

• Other Income (Income not allocatable to any other categories)

• Total Income (Sum of previous categories) These statistics provide insights into the nature of regional economies and the economic well-being of the people who live there. The data has been sourced from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and is presented with the updated 2016 editions of the Australian Statistical Geography Standards (ASGS): Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2); Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3); Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4); Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA) and Local Government Area (LGA).

For more information on the release please visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Please note:

• When interpreting these results, it should be noted that some low income earners, for example those receiving Government pensions and allowances, or those who earned below the tax free threshold, may not be present in the data, as they may not be required to lodge personal tax forms. Other individuals may not lodge a tax return even if required, therefore care should be taken in interpreting the data as well as comparing the data in this publication with other income data produced by the ABS.

• To minimise the risk of identifying individuals in aggregate statistics, a confidentialisation process called perturbation has been applied to the data. Perturbation involves small random adjustment of the statistics and is considered the most satisfactory technique for avoiding the release of identifiable statistics while maximising the range of information that can be released.

• Where data is not available or not for publication, the record has been set to a null value.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the Bottom 50% (1st to 50th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBSB50215) from Q3 1989 to Q4 2024 about net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

This dataset presents aggregated values of Income Distribution as a category of the estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas ABS release. The data spans over the financial years of 2010-11 and is aggregated to the 2016 Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) boundaries.

This release presents regional data on the number of income earners, amounts they receive, and the distribution of income for the 2010-11 to 2014-15 financial years. An improved geocoding process has been introduced for this release. As such, previously released estimates for the 2010-11 and 2012-13 financial year have been superseded. The following personal income categories are provided in this census release:

• Employee Income

• Own Unincorporated Business Income

• Investment Income

• Superannuation Income

• Other Income (Income not allocatable to any other categories)

• Total Income (Sum of previous categories) These statistics provide insights into the nature of regional economies and the economic well-being of the people who live there. The data has been sourced from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and is presented with the updated 2016 editions of the Australian Statistical Geography Standards (ASGS): Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2); Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3); Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4); Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA) and Local Government Area (LGA).

For more information on the release please visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Please note:

• When interpreting these results, it should be noted that some low income earners, for example those receiving Government pensions and allowances, or those who earned below the tax free threshold, may not be present in the data, as they may not be required to lodge personal tax forms. Other individuals may not lodge a tax return even if required, therefore care should be taken in interpreting the data as well as comparing the data in this publication with other income data produced by the ABS.

• To minimise the risk of identifying individuals in aggregate statistics, a confidentialisation process called perturbation has been applied to the data. Perturbation involves small random adjustment of the statistics and is considered the most satisfactory technique for avoiding the release of identifiable statistics while maximising the range of information that can be released.

• Where data is not available or not for publication, the record has been set to a null value.

This table contains data on income inequality. The primary measure is the Gini index – a measure of the extent to which the distribution of income among families/households within a community deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. The index ranges from 0.0, when all families (households) have equal shares of income (implies perfect equality), to 1.0 when one family (household) has all the income and the rest have none (implies perfect inequality). Index data is provided for California and its counties, regions, and large cities/towns. The data is from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity. Income is linked to acquiring resources for healthy living. Both household income and the distribution of income across a society independently contribute to the overall health status of a community. On average Western industrialized nations with large disparities in income distribution tend to have poorer health status than similarly advanced nations with a more equitable distribution of income. Approximately 119,200 (5%) of the 2.4 million U.S. deaths in 2000 are attributable to income inequality. The pathways by which income inequality act to increase adverse health outcomes are not known with certainty, but policies that provide for a strong safety net of health and social services have been identified as potential buffers. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the About/Attachments section.

In Brazil, the bottom 50 percent had a negative average personal wealth in 2021, which means that the value of their debts exceeded that of their assets. In comparison, in Argentina, average personal wealth of the bottom 50 percent reached 3,500 euros that same year. In stark contrast, the richest one percent in Brazil held an average wealth of 1.79 million euros, revealing the high level of inequality i the country.

In 2022, from the total national wealth in Mexico, 79.1 percent belonged to the top ten percent group. Meanwhile, the bottom 50 percent had a total of -0.3 percent, which means that, on average, the bottom half has more debts than assets. Further, the average personal wealth of the top one percent was valued at 2.91 million euros.

This table contains data on income inequality. The primary measure is the Gini index – a measure of the extent to which the distribution of income among families/households within a community deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. The index ranges from 0.0, when all families (households) have equal shares of income (implies perfect equality), to 1.0 when one family (household) has all the income and the rest have none (implies perfect inequality). Index data is provided for California and its counties, regions, and large cities/towns. The data is from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity. Income is linked to acquiring resources for healthy living. Both household income and the distribution of income across a society independently contribute to the overall health status of a community. On average Western industrialized nations with large disparities in income distribution tend to have poorer health status than similarly advanced nations with a more equitable distribution of income. Approximately 119,200 (5%) of the 2.4 million U.S. deaths in 2000 are attributable to income inequality. The pathways by which income inequality act to increase adverse health outcomes are not known with certainty, but policies that provide for a strong safety net of health and social services have been identified as potential buffers. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the About/Attachments section.

This dataset presents aggregated values of Investment Income as a category of the estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas ABS release. The data spans over the financial years of 2010-11 to 2014-15 and is aggregated to the 2016 Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) boundaries. This release presents regional data on the number of income earners, amounts they receive, and the distribution of income for the 2010-11 to 2014-15 financial years. An improved geocoding process has been introduced for this release. As such, previously released estimates for the 2010-11 and 2012-13 financial year have been superseded. The following personal income categories are provided in this census release: Employee Income Own Unincorporated Business Income

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in Sunnyvale, CA, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 41,743, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 601,834. This indicates that the top earners earn 14 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 969,151, which is 161.03% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 2321.71% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Sunnyvale median household income. You can refer the same here

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in Aiken County, SC, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 14,365, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 217,179. This indicates that the top earners earn 15 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 363,888, which is 167.55% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 2533.16% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Aiken County median household income. You can refer the same here