The Bottom 50%’s Shrinking Wealth Over Time
This graphic visualizes the share of total net worth (wealth) held by the bottom 50% of the U.S. from 1989 to 2024.
Data comes from the Federal Reserve and is updated as of Dec. 20, 2024.
Below, we show the share of total net worth held by the bottom 50% in the U.S. from 1989 to July 1, 2024.
Wealth inequality remains a significant issue in the U.S., with the bottom half of the population holding only a small fraction of total wealth, despite some recovery from its 2011 low.
The bottom 50% of Americans held just 2.4% of U.S. wealth in 2024, down from 3.5% in 1990 and hitting an all-time low of 0.4% in 2011.
Since 2022, the bottom 50% has experienced a steady decline in its share of the nation’s total net worth, dropping quarter over quarter.
Stock ownership is a pivotal factor in determining overall net worth, serving as a primary mechanism for wealth accumulation and financial growth in the United States.
In 2024, the top 1% controlled nearly half (49.9%) of all equities and mutual fund shares in 2024, while the bottom 50% held only 1%, according to Federal Reserve data.
Technological advances and globalization have been a driver of high wealth inequality by favoring skilled workers and capital owners. Other oft-cited reasons for wealth inequality in the U.S. include tax policies that benefit the wealthy, and declining labor unions that weaken lower-income workers’ bargaining power.
Credit: Visual Capitalist
