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One of the lesser-known rules of personal finance is that wealth is relative. A net worth of $500,000 might be a fortune in some places and barely enough in others.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why tracking your net worth against the national average and different percentiles can give you a clearer picture of your progress toward financial freedom.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, here\u2019s the latest available government data on how much wealth it takes to be in the top 10% of all Americans.<\/p>\n
The Federal Reserve is arguably the best source of data on national net worth. It has unmatched insight into how Americans earn, spend, save, invest and borrow.<\/p>\n
According to the Federal Reserve\u2019s most recent Survey of Consumer Finances (1), the median American family has a net worth of just $192,900. If your household has more than that, you\u2019re doing better than half of the country.<\/p>\n
If your net worth is above $1,063,700, you\u2019re wealthier than the average American. This number is about ten times higher than the median because it is skewed by ultra-wealthy individuals like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.<\/p>\n
Still, it\u2019s a useful benchmark. Being a millionaire or billionaire in America puts you ahead of most, and much further ahead than the middle of the pack.<\/p>\n
To break into the top 10%, though, you\u2019ll need a net worth of at least $2 million, according to the 2022 survey. That means only one in 10 American households has a net worth above that threshold, and it gets even tighter as you near the top 1%.<\/p>\n
This figure has jumped significantly in the past 25 years, driven in large part by the gains in net worth of the super-rich. By comparison, the income cutoff for the top 10% was just $71,846.00 in 1990, or $181,836.05 adjusted for inflation (2).<\/p>\n
Moreover, the top 10% hold 67% of total household wealth in the U.S. CNBC reports that the top 0.1% of the rich in the U.S. gained 10% in wealth in 2025, and those with a net worth of at least $46 million have seen their total wealth nearly double, to the tune of $23 trillion+ (3).<\/p>\n
So if you\u2019re a multi-millionaire, you can safely consider yourself among the affluent. Your family likely enjoys access to better housing and education than most.<\/p>\n
That said, 2022 was a while ago, and this data is likely outdated. If you\u2019re trying to crack the top 10% in 2025 or beyond, you might need to aim a little higher than $2 million.<\/p>\n
Read More: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don\u2019t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)<\/a><\/p>\n Every year, America\u2019s wealthiest people tend to get even richer. At the same time, the cost of living keeps rising.<\/p>\n Since 2022, the S&P 500 has jumped roughly 64% (3), boosting the portfolios of many affluent families and potentially raising the bar for the top 10%.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, consumer price inflation (CPI) has averaged about 3.25% annually since 2022, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (4). This means cumulative inflation is around 10% over the past three years; your dollar buys 10% less than it did then.<\/p>\n Taking all of this into account, it\u2019s safe to estimate that the current minimum net worth for joining the top 10% sits closer to $2.2 million.<\/p>\n For most Americans \u2014 that middle band of median earners \u2014 reaching that milestone may take a lifetime of exceptional earnings, diligent saving, savvy investments and successful business ventures. Or even a lucky inheritance.<\/p>\n But you don\u2019t have to do it alone. Finding a good financial planner during the early stages of your search for wealth could make or break joining the multi-millionaire club. Then, once you\u2019re established, you can consider taking advantage of more complex investment and tax instruments.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for advice on how to expand your wealth and meet financial goals like these, one option is to find a trusted financial advisor through [Advisor.com<\/a>](https:\/\/moneywise.com\/c\/1\/410\/1777?placement=1<\/a>).<\/p>\n How it works is simple \u2014 just answer a few quick questions about yourself and your finances. Then the platform will match you with up to three experienced and pre-vetted financial professionals to help you develop a plan to grow your wealth and make more informed investment decisions.<\/p>\n The best part? You can view the advisors\u2019 profiles, read past client reviews and schedule an initial consultation<\/a> for free with no obligation to hire.<\/p>\n While many of the ultra-rich owe their wealth to real estate, stock market gains and other similar assets, most hedge their bet with alternative assets.<\/p>\n In 1999, the S&P 500 peaked, and it took 14 long years to fully recover.<\/p>\n Today, Goldman Sachs is forecasting just 3% annual returns from 2024 to 2034. It sounds bleak but not surprising: the S&P is trading at its highest price-to-earnings ratio since the dot-com boom. Vanguard isn\u2019t far off, projecting around 5%.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why billionaires have long carved out a slice of their portfolios in an asset class with low correlation to the market and strong rebound potential: post-war and contemporary art.<\/p>\n It may sound surprising, but more than 70,000 investors have followed suit since 2019 \u2014 through Masterworks<\/a>. Now you can own fractional shares of works by Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and more.<\/p>\n Masterworks has sold 25 artworks so far, yielding net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.*<\/p>\n Moneywise readers can get priority access to diversify with art: Skip the waitlist here<\/a><\/p>\n *Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com\/cd<\/a><\/p>\n While fine art remains a popular investment for the wealthy, investments in other physical assets tend to shine brighter \u2014 like gold.<\/p>\n Gold\u2019s historic run in 2025 shows the power of alternative investments when markets are shaky. In fact, a survey from HSBC found that affluent investors had increased their gold allocations in their portfolios from 5% to 11% in response (5).<\/p>\n While owning physical gold comes with certain drawbacks, including secure storage and illiquidity, you can invest in gold \u2014 and get significant tax advantages \u2014 by opening a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold<\/a>, making it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.<\/p>\n To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $10,000 in free silver<\/a> on qualifying purchases.<\/p>\n The explosive growth of the real estate market has made many fortunes \u2014 especially for the baby boom generation, who hold about half the nation\u2019s homes and are consequently holding $18 to $19 trillion worth of real estate, according to Realtor.com<\/a> (6). The most expensive of these homes are concentrated on the coasts, including New England, California, and other sunny destinations like Hawaii and Florida.<\/p>\n While the rich may be able to afford several properties, those who are still building their fortunes can find ways to make this market profitable without major upfront investments.<\/p>\n mogul is a real estate investment platform that offers fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties<\/a>, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits \u2014 without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.<\/p>\n Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the mogul team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.<\/p>\n Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours<\/a>, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.<\/p>\n Every investment is secured by real assets, not dependent on the platform\u2019s viability. Each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors own the property \u2014 not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake.<\/p>\n Getting started is a quick and easy process. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties<\/a>. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Federal Reserve (1<\/a>); Don\u2019t Quit Your Day Job (2<\/a>); CNBC (3<\/a>); Bureau of Labor Statistics (4<\/a>); HSBC (5<\/a>); Realtor.com<\/a> (6<\/a>)<\/p>\n This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CandyRetriever\/Shutterstock Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. 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