To understand the division of wealth in America, consider two numbers: $1.8 trillion and $1,157.
This is the average amount the top 1 percent of U.S. households saw their net worth grow by last year, compared to the bottom 50 percent, according to nonpartisan think tank Center for American Progress.
But how large a net worth does it take to join the top 10 percent of richest Americans? That figure has to be at least $1.8 million, according to Visa.
Based on that figure, some 12.2 million U.S. households are in the top 10 percent for wealth.
The 10-percent threshold has increased as household assets such as homes and stocks have risen in value over the past two years. In 2024 alone, there were 1,000 new millionaires every day, Visa said.
“The surge in asset prices and subsequent rise in everyday millionaires raised the bar for what it means to be affluent, which we define not by a static dollar figure, but by entry into the top 10 percent of U.S. households,” Visa noted. “And that entry threshold has risen sharply in recent years.”
Net worth is calculated by taking the sum of your assets, minus debts. Assets can include homes, cars, retirement accounts and investments. Debts include mortgages, student loans, auto loans and credit card balances.
While $1.8M is the national benchmark, the figure to qualify as a “10 percenter” changes at a regional level:
- West: $2 million
- Northeast: $1.9 million
- South: $1.8 million
- Midwest: $1.7 million.
The study also found that 10 percenters spend more money on wants than other households. Apparel, airline travel and lodging are the areas with the biggest spending difference, Visa said.
The average U.S. household has around a $660,000 net worth, according to financial firm UBS’s Global Wealth Report 2026.
Know your net worth
To get a quick answer, start with a blank sheet of paper and two columns, headlined “Assets” and “Debts”.
In the assets column, write down your total liquid cash, investments, retirement accounts, home value and physical assets such as gold, silver and collectibles.
In the other column, list home, auto, student and other loans; credit card balances, money owed to the IRS, medical bills, buy-now-pay-later plans, for example.
Add up each column, then subtract the debts from the assets, and voila, that’s your net worth.
Landing in the top 10 percent
To build net worth, the average person needs to start with a budget, stack some cash for emergencies, then invest wisely so retirement and also big pre-retirement expenses are covered:
- Make a budget so you understand how much you’re earning and spending. The goal is to end each month having more coming in than going out
- If there’s more money coming out of your accounts than going in, identify areas to cut spending, such as eating out or subscriptions
- Once there’s extra money each month, save the surplus in an emergency fund. Keep adding to the account until there’s enough money to cover three to six months of expenses, in case of emergency
- With an emergency fund in place, pay down debt. Popular methods include paying down balances with the highest interest rates first, or paying down the smallest balances first
- Make regular contributions to 401(k) and IRA retirement accounts. Maximize any workplace matches of 401(k) contribution
- Invest any extra money to build up returns you can use to pay for a home, college tuition and other big expenses.
“People of all income levels can work toward building positive net worth by saving money, by paying off debt and potentially by investing,” according to financial services firm Fidelity.
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