Special Report

How Wealthy Was the 1% Each Year Since 1976

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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

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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

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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.

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