Where Data Tells the Story
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In 2024, households in the highest income quintile had median wealth of $849,100. Households in the lowest income quintile had median wealth of $11,990 — a 70.8× difference. Household wealth rises dramatically across U.S. income groups. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2025 Survey of Income and Program Participation, median household wealth at the end of 2024 was $11,990 for households in the lowest income quintile and $849,100 for households in the highest income quintile. That makes the highest-quintile median about 70.8 times the lowest-quintile median. The five income groups show a steep wealth staircase: Lowest quintile: $11,990 Second quintile: $79,600 Third quintile: $178,000 Fourth quintile: $317,200 Highest quintile: $849,100 Census also reports that the lowest quintile’s median wealth was 6.7% of the middle quintile’s median, while the middle quintile’s median wealth was 21.0% of the highest quintile’s median. KEY METRICS Top 20% median wealth: $849,100 Bottom 20% median wealth: $11,990 Top-to-bottom ratio: 70.8× Middle quintile median wealth: $178,000 Top-to-middle ratio: 4.8× Bottom as share of middle: 6.7% INCOME QUINTILE DEFINITIONS Lowest quintile: household income at or below $33,468 Middle quintile: household income between $63,111 and $102,104 Highest quintile: household income above $169,068 IMPORTANT CAVEAT This is a descriptive comparison of wealth across income quintiles. It does not establish that income alone causes the wealth gap. Age, homeownership, saving, investment returns, inheritance, education, household structure, debt, and prior wealth also differ across households.