U.S Net Worth Percentiles: U.S. The wealth start percentage provides a clearer picture of where you rank. According to Schwab’s 2025 Modern Wealth Survey, its seventh annual, Americans say an average person needs about $2.2 million worth of wealth to qualify as wealthy. (Net worth is the sum of your assets minus your liabilities). See this wealth report card for a clearer idea of where you stand (this site also provides a US wealth percentage calculator):
Read more: Richard Heart Net Worth
People with the top 1% of net worth in the United States had a net worth of about $10,815,000.
- About $2,472,000 was the average net worth of the richest 2%.
- The top 5% had about $1,030,000.
- Then the top 10% had about $854,900.
- The top 50% also had about $522,210.
However, to put things into perspective, the most recent Federal Reserve Board Survey of Consumer Finances, which is likewise produced every three years and will be updated at the end of 2025, the median net worth of all households (meaning half went up and half went down) after 2019. in the year was $121,700, and the average, or median, net worth was about $748,800.
Under 35: about $76,300,35-44: about $436,200, then 45-54: about $833,200, then 55-64: about $1,175,900, then 65-74: $1,217,700, then 75 or older: $977,600, but a different set of assets Measure: The American Dream
But for many, what it means to be “rich” is evolving.
The term “American Dream” is so ingrained in the American psyche that the Merriam-Webster dictionary considers it a “noun phrase” and defines it as: “a happy way of life that many Americans consider something that anyone in the U.S. is particularly hard pressed to achieve.” By working hard and succeeding, one can achieve something special.”
What does that fantasy really give you?It grants me freedom—financial freedom—for myself. As a specialist in financial literacy, like many of you, I define prosperity as not having to worry about the next unexpected cost or genuinely spending money guilt-free. I also want to share that freedom with others. I’m not talking about Jeff Bezos rich – I’m talking about “not having to worry-rich”.
A Different Measure of Wealth: You Must Know
Many see rich people as evil and exploitative or Scrooge types. The site dnyuz.com posed a question on Instagram: “Do you think you can be rich and be a good person?” The answers were split: 44% of respondents said “yes,” while 32% said “no.” We all know you can be a jerk regardless of your net worth. It’s amazing how unbelieving, or perhaps jealous, people can covet themselves.
Here’s an interesting fact about the rich: the world’s richest 1% produce more than twice as much carbon emissions as the poorest. But it’s understandable, because they’re flying in private jets and the poor, in many cases, don’t even have electricity. Oxfam International found that around 1% of the world’s richest people have accelerated climate change far more than anyone else, and the poor are said to be worst hit by it.
The Racial Wealth Gap
Unfortunately, the American dream is not available to everyone, and housing equity makes up nearly two-thirds of all wealth. But the National Community Reinvestment Coalition reports that “…housing inequality and segregation still persist, creating a long-term social impact in America. Housing segregation and inequality greatly harm people’s health, their ability to accumulate resources, and the environment.”
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors’ 2019 poll found that it was clearly shown that people of color were not achieving the American dream like their white counterparts. The median wealth of white households was $188,200, while black households had less than 15% of white households at $24,100. The median wealth of Hispanic households was $36,100. The rate of wealth growth among these disadvantaged households is increasing, but these statistics remain disturbing.
Final Words
The next generation is redefining the American dream, but there are some fundamentals we still hold onto. According to a survey conducted by Echelon Insights in 2020, 81% of this next generation believe that hard work will allow them to achieve success, as they define it. They want freedom of choice, financial well-being, family, a good job and housing. They really value work-life balance.
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