If Your Net Worth Is Above This Number, You're In The Top 2%

Perceptions of what's "wealthy" in the United States can be, needless to say, pretty skewed. What's rich to one person may be middle class to another, and of course, personal experience and background can greatly influence your perspective on the matter. Still, if your net worth adds up above a certain amount, you're in the upper tiers of wealth in the nation. Now, we hear a lot about what it takes to be in the top 1% of wealth, but what isn't discussed often enough is the top 2%. Although it's safe to say those in this tier aren't exactly hurting financially, the truth is that the threshold here may be lower than you think. Estimates vary for this, but, according to The Kickass Entrepreneur net worth percentage calculator, you would need a total net worth of $2.7 million to fall within the top 2% of wealth in the United States (as of October 2025 at least). Meanwhile, finance expert Diane LuTran (via YouTube) pinpoints the top 2% between $2.7 million and $5 million.

Keep in mind that net worth includes all assets: real estate, investments, checking and savings accounts, and any valuable personal property, subtracting any debts. And, for comparison, the folks who fall in the top 1% of U.S. wealth are worth over four times more than the threshold for the 2%. On the opposite side of the spectrum, you're in the bottom 50% if your net worth is below $585,000. That's just American wealth gaps for you.

Does the $2.7 million figure stack up with American financial perceptions? There's no clear picture of what net worth the average person thinks falls into the top 2% of the nation's wealth. That said, a recent Charles Schwab survey revealed that the current number isn't far above the threshold Americans believe is considered "wealthy" in the first place — $2.5 million. LuTran likewise puts the top 2%'s annual income around $500,000, which ADP research data shows is prevalent among about 1 in every 127 jobs in the U.S. Of course, that doesn't mean everyone earning $500,000 a year is automatically in the top 2%, especially if they're not hanging on to a lot of that income. 

Again, it's crucial to keep in mind that net worth takes into account all of your assets rather than simply what you're bringing in: property, retirement accounts, savings, investments, and so forth. So, what you have directly accessible in your bank account may not actually be reflective of your entire wealth. That said, even if you're not in the top 2% of wealth in the U.S., you may still be in that wealth bracket globally.

How much net worth you need to be in the top 2% of wealth depends heavily on whether you're looking at the United States or globally. In the U.S., the threshold is relatively high. Elsewhere around the world, however, the bar is considerably lower. While there aren't any definitive analyses of the world's top 2%, a 2023 global wealth study by Knight Frank shows that everyone in the top 2% in the U.S. would nevertheless make it into the top 1% in countries like Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Mexico, and all of South America and Africa. 

Although this finding is indicative of the vast differences in national income levels, living costs, and resources to build wealth, it's also reflective of the differences between wealth gaps in the U.S. and other nations. Per a 2026 World Inequality Lab report, the United States has a wider wealth gap than many other developed nations. Its racial wealth gap is also quite notorious. However, according to the Global Wealth Report from UBS, the U.S. is also home to the highest number of millionaires.

Still, it's important to note that these thresholds change over time due to inflation and market fluctuations. Real estate booms, changing technology, currency shifts, and even wars affecting stock markets can all move the goalpost for the top wealth tiers. Ultimately, being in the top 2% is less about income alone and more about accumulated assets, ownership, and long-term access to wealth-building opportunities.