Ranked: The Richest Countries by Average vs. Median Wealth
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Key Takeaways
- Switzerland ranks first in average wealth per adult, while Luxembourg leads in median wealth.
- Belgium, Canada, and Japan rank much higher by median wealth, reflecting broader household wealth.
- The U.S. drops from 2nd to 28th when wealth is measured by the median instead of the average.
Which countries are actually the world’s richest? The answer depends on how you measure wealth.
Using data from the UBS Global Wealth Report 2026, this graphic compares average and median wealth per adult across countries.
While Switzerland tops the rankings by average wealth, measuring the median reshuffles the leaderboard, with some countries rising or falling by more than 20 places.
Switzerland Tops Average Wealth Rankings
Switzerland ranks first in average wealth per adult at $910,000, followed by the United States and Luxembourg.
Hong Kong SAR and Singapore also rank near the top, reflecting high concentrations of household assets in major financial centers. Because average wealth includes every dollar owned across the population, a relatively small number of very wealthy households can significantly lift a country’s ranking.
| Rank | Country | Average Wealth Per Adult 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | $910K |
| 2 | U.S. | $696K |
| 3 | Luxembourg | $655K |
| 4 | Hong Kong SAR | $648K |
| 5 | Australia | $616K |
| 6 | Singapore | $527K |
| 7 | Denmark | $523K |
| 8 | New Zealand | $450K |
| 9 | Norway | $425K |
| 10 | Netherlands | $415K |
| 11 | Belgium | $408K |
| 12 | Sweden | $406K |
| 13 | Canada | $400K |
| 14 | Germany | $347K |
| 15 | France | $341K |
| 16 | Taiwan | $333K |
| 17 | Ireland | $314K |
| 18 | Israel | $312K |
| 19 | South Korea | $311K |
| 20 | Spain | $306K |
| 21 | UK | $293K |
| 22 | Austria | $280K |
| 23 | Italy | $279K |
| 24 | Japan | $212K |
| 25 | Finland | $209K |
| 26 | Portugal | $196K |
| 27 | Qatar | $189K |
| 28 | Malta | $164K |
| 29 | UAE | $158K |
| 30 | Greece | $143K |
Median Wealth Paints a Different Picture
The rankings change dramatically once wealth is measured by the median adult.
Luxembourg moves into first place with median wealth of $394,000, followed by Belgium, Australia, and New Zealand. Canada also climbs into 7th, while Japan rises to 10th despite ranking just 24th in average wealth.
Many countries climb the rankings when wealth is measured by the median because household assets are spread more broadly across the population. Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg all benefit from relatively broad levels of homeownership, pensions, and financial assets compared with countries where wealth is more concentrated.
| Rank | Country | Median Wealth Per Adult 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg | $394K |
| 2 | Belgium | $277K |
| 3 | Australia | $211K |
| 4 | New Zealand | $207K |
| 5 | Denmark | $204K |
| 6 | Hong Kong SAR | $188K |
| 7 | Canada | $148K |
| 8 | Switzerland | $146K |
| 9 | Norway | $140K |
| 10 | Japan | $136K |
| 11 | Italy | $131K |
| 12 | Netherlands | $127K |
| 13 | United Kingdom | $125K |
| 14 | France | $122K |
| 15 | Malta | $114K |
| 16 | Taiwan | $113K |
| 17 | Spain | $112K |
| 18 | South Korea | $102K |
| 19 | Ireland | $98K |
| 20 | Singapore | $96K |
| 21 | Qatar | $95K |
| 22 | Finland | $90K |
| 23 | Sweden | $84K |
| 24 | Israel | $84K |
| 25 | Slovenia | $81K |
| 26 | Portugal | $77K |
| 27 | Austria | $71K |
| 28 | U.S. | $69K |
| 29 | Greece | $59K |
| 30 | Germany | $53K |
One of the largest shifts is seen in the United States. While it ranks second globally by average wealth, it falls to 28th by median wealth, indicating that a relatively large share of household wealth is concentrated among the country’s wealthiest residents.
Looking Beyond the Headline Rankings
Comparing average and median wealth shows two different dimensions of prosperity.
Average wealth measures the overall size of a country’s household balance sheet, while median wealth reflects what a typical adult owns. Looking at both provides a more complete picture of how wealth is distributed across an economy.
That is why countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, Australia, and New Zealand, known for their comparatively lower levels of wealth inequality, outperform much larger economies when wealth is measured this way.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s richest countries by GDP per capita.