Wealth inequality in America just hit its widest gap in more than 3 decades

January 22, 2026

TL;DR

The top 1% of households held 31.7% of U.S. wealth in Q3 2025, a record high.
The wealth of the richest 1% is roughly equal to that of the bottom 90% combined.
Billionaire wealth has grown significantly faster than the average over the past five years.
The top 10% of income earners account for nearly half of all U.S. consumer spending.
Surging stock prices, largely driven by AI investments, disproportionately benefit wealthier households.
Middle-income households' wealth is primarily in housing, which has seen slowing price growth.
Lower-income Americans are burdened by higher debt loads.
Higher-income Americans experienced stronger wage growth (3%) compared to middle (1.5%) and low-income (1.1%) households in December 2025.

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