Rich Americans Had a Good 2025, While Everyone Else Fell Behind

The share of total wealth held by the richest Americans is now at the highest level since World War II.

The top 1% of households controlled 31.7% of the nation’s wealth in the third quarter of 2025, according to Federal Reserve data. That amounted to $55 trillion, nearly as much as the bottom 90% combined.

Wealth inequality is on the rise after leveling off for several years in the late 2010s and early 2020s, the Fed estimates show. The main driver of the recent surge is three consecutive years of significant stock market gains.

While the affluent are more heavily exposed to stocks and other financial investments, the wealth of middle- and working-class families tends to be concentrated in their homes, whose values have lagged after ...