Wealth distribution describes how the total assets of a society are divided among its members. Wealth is not the same as income. Income flows in each month. Wealth is the stock of what people own: homes, land, savings, investments, and businesses, minus debts. Two households can earn the same salary and sit at very different points on the wealth ladder.

Wealth is far more concentrated than income in nearly every country. In the United States, the top 10 percent of households hold roughly two-thirds of all wealth. The bottom half holds a tiny fraction. The pattern repeats across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, though the exact numbers vary.

Several forces drive the gap. Inherited wealth passes between generations. Investment returns compound over time, favoring those who already own assets. Homeownership, education, and access to credit all shape who accumulates and who does not. Economists debate how much is due to effort and how much to circumstance. The data show both matter.

How it is measured

• Wealth share by percentile
• Gini coefficient for net worth
• Median vs. mean wealth
• Intergenerational wealth transfer
• Debt-to-asset ratios