As a whole, American households have seen their net worth grow 58% from a low of $68 trillion, $577,000 per household, in the first quarter of 2009 to $107 trillion, $881,000 per household, in the second quarter of 2019, based on an inflation-adjusted dataset from the Federal Reserve.
However, growth varies across income brackets and is amassed through different investment means depending on one’s income.
The latest data from the Census Bureau shows that median household wealth in the United States was $94,670 in 2016. American household wealth—the value of assets subtracted by the liabilities and debts owed—has increased largely in the form of equity, mutual funds, and similar investments since the bottom of the Great Recession. These asset types tend to be held by higher income groups. In contrast, the value of real estate holdings, which are the largest segment of household wealth and tend to be held by lower income groups, has yet to return to pre-recession value.
