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Ranked: How Wealthy the Top 1% Are in Each Major Economy
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Key Takeaways
- The U.S. has the wealthiest top 1%, with average per capita wealth of $16.4 million, far ahead of other major economies.
- In America, the top 1% control 35% of all wealth, while the bottom 50% hold just $9,000 per person.
- Mexico has the highest wealth concentration in this group, with the top 1% holding 37% of national wealth.
In the United States, the average member of the top 1% holds $16.4 million in wealth.
In Japan, that figure is less than half. In Mexico, it’s $2.7 million.
The “top 1%” may sound like a global tier of wealth, but how rich that group actually is depends heavily on where they live.
Using the latest data from McKinsey, we rank the world’s major economies by the per capita wealth of their top 1%, adjusted for purchasing power. The results reveal a startling gap: while American elites lead the pack with $16.4 million in wealth, others see a net worth of less than a third of this.
Top 1% Net Worth Per Capita in Major Economies
Below, we show how the top 1% compares by country, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP). This shows the true buying power across economies relative to the U.S. dollar:
| Country | Top 1% Average Per Capita Wealth (PPP) | Bottom 50% Average Per Capita Wealth | Top 1% Share of Wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | $16.4M | $9K | 35% |
| Australia | $10.6M | $36K | 24% |
| Canada | $9.1M | $30K | 24% |
| Germany | $9.1M | $23K | 28% |
| France | $8.5M | $31K | 27% |
| Italy | $7.2M | $17K | 22% |
| South Korea | $7.2M | $10K | 26% |
| Japan | $6.9M | $22K | 25% |
| UK | $5.0M | $22K | 21% |
| China | $3.2M | $13K | 30% |
| Mexico | $2.7M | $3K | 37% |
The U.S. has the highest average per capita wealth for their top 1%, surpassing second-ranked Australia by $5.8 million.
In stark contrast, U.S. national per capita wealth sits at $470,000, while the bottom 50% holds a net worth of just $9,000, on average. Overall, the American top 1% controls 35% of the nation’s total wealth, a share that is steadily rising.
When adjusted for purchasing power, this share accounts for 5% of global wealth, rising to 9% when measured in absolute U.S. dollar terms.
While Australia holds the second-highest average at $10.6 million, its internal wealth gap is notably less extreme. Australia’s per capita wealth is comparable at $450,000, yet its bottom 50% holds a significantly higher average net worth of $36,000.
Similarly, this distribution pattern is broadly mirrored across Canada and major European economies.
In China, average per capita wealth of the top 1% stands at $3.2 million, against a national per capita wealth of $110,000. In fact, China’s bottom 50% holds more wealth per person than the bottom half in the U.S., when adjusted for purchasing power.
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To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on wealth inequality by country.