affluent

11 Stories

The Wealth Gap in America Just Widened Even More

Top 1% now hold as much wealth as bottom 90%

(Newser) - Wealth in the US has rarely been this lopsided. New Federal Reserve data show that the richest 1% of households now possess 31.7% of all American wealth, the largest share since the Fed began tracking the numbers in 1989. Their holdings, roughly $55 trillion as of 2025's third...

SCOTUS' Vow to Treat Rich, Poor Equally Is Falling Short

Economists' research finds Supreme Court's partisan shift toward the more affluent since 1950s

(Newser) - A new economic study argues that if you want to predict a Supreme Court ruling these days, follow the money. Researchers from Yale and Columbia say the court has increasingly ruled in ways that benefit wealthier parties over poorer ones, diverging from the judicial oath to do "equal right...

Following Mamdani Win, Rich NYers Aren't Fleeing After All

Luxury apartment sales spike after democratic socialist is voted into Gracie Mansion

(Newser) - Fears that Zohran Mamdani's election as mayor would trigger an exodus of wealthy New Yorkers appear to be overblown, as sales of Manhattan luxury homes surged in November. According to data from Miller Samuel Inc. and Douglas Elliman, contracts were signed for 176 homes priced at $4 million or...

Millionaires Multiply, but Much of Their Wealth Is Stuck
Welcome to the Era
of the 'Paper Millionaire'
in case you missed it
Oct 12, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

Welcome to the Era of the 'Paper Millionaire'

Millionaires in the US are multiplying, but much of that wealth isn't liquid

(Newser) - The United States is minting more millionaires than ever, but many of them are far from living lavishly. According to a Bloomberg analysis , more than 24 million US households now have a net worth of at least $1 million—up by a third since 2017, fueled by rising home...

Billionaires Face Lower Tax Rates Than Most Americans

Researchers find that ultra-wealthy benefit most from recent tax changes in the US

(Newser) - America's wealthiest citizens are paying a lower share of their income in taxes than the rest of the country, according to a new study by economists at UC Berkeley. Researchers found that billionaires—specifically the top 400, as listed by Forbes —had an average effective tax rate...

The 'US Wealth Machine' Got a Big Boost in 2023

New Capgemini report says the US added 600K millionaires to its ranks in 2023

(Newser) - The United States welcomed a whole lot of affluence into its midst in 2023—600,000 new millionaires, give or take. That's per Capgemini's latest "World Wealth Report," which CNBC notes shows the US "far [outpacing] the rest of the world in minting millionaires last...

Today's 'Baby' Billionaires Didn't Exactly Earn Their Wealth

For the first time, none of the 30-and-under set on 'Forbes' list of youngest billionaires is self-made

(Newser) - There are nearly 2,800 billionaires in the world, as of last count, and 15 of them are 30 or under—and, for the first time, everyone from that younger set has inherited their wealth. It's part of the advent of what Forbes calls the "great wealth transfer,...

Downside of Life in a Rich Nation: More Stress
Downside of Life in a
Rich Nation: More Stress
study says
Apr 28, 2014 1:25 PM CDT

Downside of Life in a Rich Nation: More Stress

New study finds that those who live in poorer countries are less stressed

(Newser) - One unhappy side effect of living in a well-off country? The people who live in the richest countries experience more stress and anger than those who live in less wealthy nations, a new study finds. "Life [in an affluent country] is more fast-paced, and there are just so many...

IQ Tests for 4-Year-Olds Reveal Nothing but Wealth

Gifted and talented programs might as well just choose rich kids

(Newser) - A common fear among high school juniors is an SAT score so bad it derails ambitious future plans. A similar fear grips affluent New Yorkers—but the kids in question are 4-year-olds taking IQ tests. The tests are de rigueur for admission to prestigious kindergartens, which feed into top high...

Addicted to Facebook? You're Likely Urban and Affluent

MySpace users tend to be poorer

(Newser) - Facebook and Twitter users are more likely to be urban and affluent than the rest of the US population, according to a new Nielsen study, while MySpace aficionados tend to have lower incomes. People in the top third of the income bracket are 25% more likely to use Facebook than...

Rich Feel 'Guilty' Spending Now: Poll

(Newser) - Even the still-rich are unhappy in this economic climate, though their dolor is more likely to come from shame than anything else, USA Today reports. 54% of people who have $100,000 to spend after such mundane things like mortgage payments and taxes “feel guilty purchasing luxury goods” nowadays,...

11 Stories
Most Read on Newser