What net worth is wealthy in 2024?
To be considered very high net worth, one might need assets ranging from $5 million to $10 million, while an ultra-high net worth status could require $30 million or more. These figures underscore the subjective nature of financial classifications across different thresholds of wealth.
To hold a top 1% net worth in America, according to Knight Frank, a person in 2024 must have a net worth of at least $5.8 million.
Some sources define the upper middle class as anyone making a lot of money but haven't crossed the threshold to become truly wealthy. These individuals often have a net worth of at least $500,000 to $2 million.
US households have added $37 trillion in wealth in the past four years, but the distribution has become more concentrated among the very rich — the top 0.1%. Those roughly 133,000 split about $20 trillion in wealth between them as of the end of 2023, equating to some $150 million per household.
| Age | Average | Top 1% |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | $112,104 | $653,224 |
| 25-29 | $120,183 | $2,121,910 |
| 30-34 | $258,075 | $2,636,882 |
| 35-39 | $501,295 | $4,741,320 |
In the U.S., it may take you $5.81 million to be in the top 1%, but it takes a minimum net worth of $30 million to be considered among the ultra-high net worth crowd. As of the end of 2023, this ultra-high net worth population is on the rise, reaching 626,000 globally, up from just over 600,000 a year earlier.
The average age of millionaires is 57, indicating that, for most people, it takes three or four decades of hard work to accumulate substantial wealth. Research was conducted by the authors, Thomas Stanley, Ph. D., and William D. Danko, Ph.
According to IRS standards, a monthly income of approximately $45,000 qualifies someone as wealthy. However, if you're aiming for the top 1% as measured by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), you'd need to earn about $68,277 monthly.
Wealth In America: The Numbers
Top 5% wealth: The next tier, the top 5%, has a net worth of around $1.03 million. Top 10% wealth: The top 10% of the population has a net worth of approximately $854,900.
According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans perceive an average net worth of $2.2 million as wealthy. Knight Frank's research indicates that a net worth of $4.4 million is required to be in the top 1% in America, a figure much higher than in countries like Japan, the U.K. and Australia.
What is the net worth of the top 2 percent?
Additionally, statistics show that the top 2% of the United States population has a net worth of about $2.4 million.
Other points to note are that the 90th percentile (top decile) for household assets is approximately $1.3 million; the 99th percentile (top percentile) is approximately $6.5 million; and the 99.9 percentile (the top one-tenth of one percent) is $27.8 million.
Americans' average net worth by age
The most recent report includes data collected mainly in 2022. Between 2019 and 2022, the median net worth of U.S. households surged 37% to $192,900, according to the report. The mean, or average, net worth increased 23% to $1,063,700.
Household wealth or net worth is the value of assets owned by every member of the household minus their debt. The terms are used interchangeably in this report. Assets include owned homes, vehicles, financial accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and more.
Even $800,000 in retirement savings doesn't necessarily mean you're wealthy — it just means you'll have enough to retire comfortably for 25 to 30 years. According to some surveys, you need at least $2 million in net worth to be considered wealthy.
Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.
Middle class: Those in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income, ranging from $55,001 to $89,744. Upper middle class: Households in the 60th to 80th percentile, with incomes between $89,745 and $149,131. Upper class: The top 20% of earners, with household incomes of $149,132 or more.
You now need a net worth of $5.8 million to be among the richest 1% of Americans, report finds. Americans need a net worth just south of $6 million to break into the richest 1%.
With New Jersey ranking as the top state to make the most money to be considered middle class, other states ranking in the top five requiring salaries exceeding $50,000 to be in this category include Maryland ($63,321) and Massachusetts ($62,986), Hawaii ($61,633) and California ($61,028).
| Age Range | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 55-64 | $212,500 | $1,175,900 |
| 65-74 | $266,400 | $1,217,700 |
| 75+ | $254,800 | $977,600 |
Can $1 million dollars last 30 years in retirement?
Around the U.S., a $1 million nest egg can cover an average of 18.9 years worth of living expenses, GoBankingRates found. But where you retire can have a profound impact on how far your money goes, ranging from as a little as 10 years in Hawaii to more than than 20 years in more than a dozen states.
$3 million could also be enough for you to retire even earlier, at 40 or even 30, depending on the kind of retirement lifestyle you're after and the sorts of expenses you'll face month to month. Let's look at some calculations. Say you want your $3 million to last until you reach the age of 80.
| Rank | State | Upper bound on middle class income |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | California | $183,102 |
| 6 | Washington | $182,612 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $179,984 |
| 8 | Colorado | $178,604 |
But now, in 2024, many Americans who fit squarely the middle class income range (defined by Pew Research Center, about $52,000 to $156,000 for a household of three) are feeling less financially secure than in years past. One thing that hasn't changed: We all want to be middle class.
Middle Class Income in 2024
What does this all mean? By the Census data, it means that if you earn between $50,000 and $150,000 a year, you are considered middle class.
