Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller is said to have become America’s first billionaire in 1916. Now, there are 2,755 billionaires in the world, with around 724 in the United States, according to Forbes. And there are predictions that Elon Musk could become the first trillionaire in the near future. (Here are countries with the richest rich people.)
It is no secret that the world’s rich are getting richer. In order to be considered a top one percenter, a U.S. household needs to make around $550,000 annually. This is the minimum. The average income for Americans in the top 1% is nearly $1.7 million, according to IRS data. The top 1%, which comprised 1.85 million U.S. households in 2021, currently hold over $50 trillion in wealth.
To identify the wealth of the top 1% the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the total wealth of the top 1% of households for each year going back to 1976 from Real Time Inequality. which provides statistics on how economic growth is distributed across groups.
An average household in the top 1% in 1976 had $4.3 million in wealth (adjusted for inflation), a figure that increased to $27.3 million per household in 2021.
Total wealth among the 1% has risen from $4.24 trillion in 1976 to $50.55 trillion in 2021. During that time, the share of wealth the 1% captured increased from 23.9% to 38.9%. Meanwhile, according to the same source, the bottom 50% went from owning 0.2% of total wealth in 1976 to having a negative net wealth at -0.1% in 2021 – that’s negative $180.49 billion. (Here are the countries with the worst wealth inequality.)
The total wealth of the 1%, which was rising recently at about $2.5 trillion per year, skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Total wealth holdings of the 1% rose a whopping $5.6 trillion from 2020 to 2021 alone – the single highest annual wealth increase over the 45 years reviewed. From 2019 to 2020, wealth of the 1% increased by the second largest amount, at $5.5 trillion, while the third largest annual increase was from 2018 to 2019, at $4.4 trillion.
Click here to see how wealthy was the 1% each year since 1976
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1976
> Total wealth of top 1%: $4.24 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,341,739 — #45 most
> 1% wealth share: 23.9% — #45 largest
> Households in 1%: 975,762
> Total households: 97,576,192
[in-text-ad]
Source: Public Domain / Library of Congress
1977
> Total wealth of top 1%: $4.37 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,356,478 — #44 most
> 1% wealth share: 24.0% — #44 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,002,458
> Total households: 100,245,823
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images
1978
> Total wealth of top 1%: $4.45 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,338,166 — #46 most
> 1% wealth share: 23.2% — #46 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,026,577
> Total households: 102,657,711
Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1979
> Total wealth of top 1%: $5.07 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,814,074 — #43 most
> 1% wealth share: 24.8% — #43 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,054,010
> Total households: 105,400,965
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1980
> Total wealth of top 1%: $5.36 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,968,722 — #41 most
> 1% wealth share: 24.9% — #42 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,078,702
> Total households: 107,870,214
Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1981
> Total wealth of top 1%: $5.44 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $4,955,035 — #42 most
> 1% wealth share: 25.2% — #40 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,098,812
> Total households: 109,881,223
[in-text-ad]
Source: David Herman / Getty Images
1982
> Total wealth of top 1%: $5.73 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $5,113,960 — #40 most
> 1% wealth share: 25.7% — #38 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,121,124
> Total households: 112,112,442
Source: Robert Riger / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1983
> Total wealth of top 1%: $5.91 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $5,187,915 — #39 most
> 1% wealth share: 25.3% — #39 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,139,931
> Total households: 113,993,117
Source: Focus On Sport / Getty Images
1984
> Total wealth of top 1%: $6.13 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $5,279,329 — #38 most
> 1% wealth share: 25.0% — #41 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,161,110
> Total households: 116,111,031
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: NNehring / E+ via Getty Images
1985
> Total wealth of top 1%: $6.98 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $5,880,821 — #37 most
> 1% wealth share: 25.9% — #37 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,186,328
> Total households: 118,632,757
Source: MPI / Archive Photos via Getty Images
1986
> Total wealth of top 1%: $7.77 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $6,413,697 — #36 most
> 1% wealth share: 26.5% — #36 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,210,974
> Total households: 121,097,418
[in-text-ad]
Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1987
> Total wealth of top 1%: $8.48 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $6,905,500 — #35 most
> 1% wealth share: 27.8% — #35 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,228,192
> Total households: 122,819,155
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Photo by Cynthia Johnson / Liaison / Getty Images
1988
> Total wealth of top 1%: $9.69 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $7,783,822 — #33 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.0% — #31 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,245,128
> Total households: 124,512,801
Source: Photo by Barbara Alper / Getty Images
1989
> Total wealth of top 1%: $10.23 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $8,088,704 — #31 most
> 1% wealth share: 29.9% — #33 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,264,691
> Total households: 126,469,133
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images
1990
> Total wealth of top 1%: $10.00 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $7,769,605 — #34 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.0% — #32 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,286,672
> Total households: 128,667,214
Source: Coast-to-Coast / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
1991
> Total wealth of top 1%: $10.43 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $7,953,154 — #32 most
> 1% wealth share: 29.8% — #34 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,311,197
> Total households: 131,119,748
[in-text-ad]
Source: MPI / Getty Images
1992
> Total wealth of top 1%: $10.97 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $8,249,717 — #30 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.8% — #29 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,330,334
> Total households: 133,033,397
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1993
> Total wealth of top 1%: $11.41 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $8,461,595 — #28 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.8% — #27 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,348,562
> Total households: 134,856,165
Source: Al Bello / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1994
> Total wealth of top 1%: $11.40 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $8,352,477 — #29 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.5% — #30 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,365,296
> Total households: 136,529,609
[in-text-ad-2]
1995
> Total wealth of top 1%: $12.48 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $8,987,675 — #27 most
> 1% wealth share: 30.8% — #28 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,388,871
> Total households: 138,887,101
Source: David Taylor / Getty Images
1996
> Total wealth of top 1%: $13.44 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $9,536,662 — #26 most
> 1% wealth share: 31.3% — #26 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,409,086
> Total households: 140,908,588
[in-text-ad]
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images News via Getty Images
1997
> Total wealth of top 1%: $15.55 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $10,880,460 — #25 most
> 1% wealth share: 32.8% — #25 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,429,299
> Total households: 142,929,905
Source: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images News via Getty Images
1998
> Total wealth of top 1%: $17.72 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $12,194,748 — #23 most
> 1% wealth share: 33.6% — #21 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,453,187
> Total households: 145,318,673
Source: Marc Piscotty / Getty Images
1999
> Total wealth of top 1%: $19.69 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $13,344,488 — #18 most
> 1% wealth share: 34.1% — #18 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,475,321
> Total households: 147,532,062
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Alex Wong / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
2000
> Total wealth of top 1%: $19.40 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $13,037,136 — #21 most
> 1% wealth share: 34.0% — #19 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,487,932
> Total households: 148,793,232
Source: Robert Giroux / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2001
> Total wealth of top 1%: $19.29 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $12,798,577 — #22 most
> 1% wealth share: 33.7% — #20 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,507,058
> Total households: 150,705,811
[in-text-ad]
Source: Royal Navy / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2002
> Total wealth of top 1%: $18.08 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $11,850,778 — #24 most
> 1% wealth share: 33.0% — #24 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,525,519
> Total households: 152,551,896
Source: Chris Hondros / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2003
> Total wealth of top 1%: $20.36 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $13,202,459 — #19 most
> 1% wealth share: 33.5% — #23 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,542,490
> Total households: 154,248,993
Source: Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2004
> Total wealth of top 1%: $22.78 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $14,542,266 — #14 most
> 1% wealth share: 33.6% — #22 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,566,553
> Total households: 156,655,305
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2005
> Total wealth of top 1%: $24.89 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $15,685,322 — #12 most
> 1% wealth share: 34.5% — #17 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,586,738
> Total households: 158,673,826
2006
> Total wealth of top 1%: $26.65 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $16,580,473 — #10 most
> 1% wealth share: 35.3% — #15 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,607,452
> Total households: 160,745,154
[in-text-ad]
Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
2007
> Total wealth of top 1%: $27.06 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $16,582,944 — #9 most
> 1% wealth share: 35.9% — #14 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,631,913
> Total households: 163,191,262
Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2008
> Total wealth of top 1%: $22.11 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $13,418,076 — #17 most
> 1% wealth share: 36.1% — #13 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,647,833
> Total households: 164,783,258
Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2009
> Total wealth of top 1%: $22.01 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $13,157,120 — #20 most
> 1% wealth share: 35.3% — #16 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,672,911
> Total households: 167,291,088
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2010
> Total wealth of top 1%: $24.31 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $14,362,495 — #15 most
> 1% wealth share: 36.9% — #12 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,692,397
> Total households: 169,239,701
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2011
> Total wealth of top 1%: $24.48 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $14,227,079 — #16 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.6% — #9 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,720,404
> Total households: 172,040,403
[in-text-ad]
Source: Marc Piscotty / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2012
> Total wealth of top 1%: $27.05 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $15,593,715 — #13 most
> 1% wealth share: 39.0% — #1 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,734,800
> Total households: 173,480,024
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Alex Trautwig / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2013
> Total wealth of top 1%: $28.98 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $16,455,764 — #11 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.7% — #8 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,761,081
> Total households: 176,108,055
Source: Andrew Burton / Getty Images
2014
> Total wealth of top 1%: $31.42 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $17,654,790 — #8 most
> 1% wealth share: 38.3% — #3 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,779,890
> Total households: 177,988,996
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2015
> Total wealth of top 1%: $32.04 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $17,686,730 — #7 most
> 1% wealth share: 38.1% — #5 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,811,474
> Total households: 181,147,354
Source: Brett Carlsen / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2016
> Total wealth of top 1%: $33.32 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $18,429,019 — #6 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.9% — #6 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,808,243
> Total households: 180,824,317
[in-text-ad]
Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2017
> Total wealth of top 1%: $36.22 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $19,907,512 — #4 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.9% — #7 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,819,475
> Total households: 181,947,484
Source: Chris McGrath / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2018
> Total wealth of top 1%: $35.09 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $19,157,304 — #5 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.5% — #11 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,831,577
> Total households: 183,157,723
Source: Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty Images
2019
> Total wealth of top 1%: $39.50 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $21,478,657 — #3 most
> 1% wealth share: 37.6% — #10 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,838,967
> Total households: 183,896,734
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2020
> Total wealth of top 1%: $44.99 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $24,345,278 — #2 most
> 1% wealth share: 38.2% — #4 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,848,066
> Total households: 184,806,570
Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images News via Getty Images
2021
> Total wealth of top 1%: $50.55 trillion
> Avg. wealth per top 1% household: $27,271,088 — #1 most
> 1% wealth share: 38.9% — #2 largest
> Households in 1%: 1,853,587
> Total households: 185,358,697
Methodology
To identify the wealth of the top 1% the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the total wealth of the top 1% of households for each year going back to 1976 from RealTime Inequality, which provides statistics on how economic growth is distributed across groups with research conducted by economists Thomas Blanchet, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman.
All dollar figures are annualized and adjusted for price inflation to 2021 dollars. The average wealth per household, the population, and the 1% wealth share are also from RealTime Inequality, and all data is for the fourth quarter of each year. RealTime Inequality wealth definition includes all marketable wealth owned by households.
Essential Tips for Investing: Sponsored
A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
