What Is Household Net Worth by Percentile?
Net worth by percentile divides US households into groups based on total assets minus debts. Common cutoffs include the bottom 50%, median (50th), 90th, and top 1%. These groups show how wealth is spread across the country.
Key Figures from Recent Data
The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances reports that the median US household net worth is roughly $192,000. The top 1% of households hold a large share of total wealth, often exceeding $10 million, while the bottom 50% typically have low or negative net worth. The top 10% own the majority of financial assets.
Why Percentile Data Matters
Looking at net worth by percentile helps policymakers, researchers, and investors understand inequality and economic security. It shows how much wealth is concentrated and how typical households compare to high-wealth households. For more detailed tables, see the Survey of Consumer Finances at https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scf.htm.
