Brief
Visa says $1.8 million net‑worth needed to join America’s top‑10 percent
Visa’s analysis shows the wealth bar for the richest tenth of US households has risen to $1.8 million, with regional differences and a surge in new millionaires.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Visa says a household net‑worth of at least $1.8 million is required to be counted among the United States’ top‑10 percent of wealth holders, according to a report published on 13 October 2026.
What happened
The payment‑card company calculated the threshold using its own data on asset growth and household wealth. It notes that the figure varies by region: $2 million in the West, $1.9 million in the Northeast, $1.8 million in the South and $1.7 million in the Midwest. Visa also highlighted that 12.2 million US households now sit in the top‑10 percent, a rise driven by higher home and stock values.
What the reports add
Visa pointed out that in 2024 alone, roughly 1,000 new millionaires were created each day. The company added that the surge in asset prices has pushed the entry point for affluence sharply upward in recent years. It also observed that households in the top‑10 percent tend to spend more on discretionary categories such as apparel, airline travel and lodging compared with other households.
What was said
“The surge in asset prices and subsequent rise in everyday millionaires raised the bar for what it means to be affluent, which we define not by a static dollar figure, but by entry into the top 10 percent of U.S. households,” Visa said.
How it came about
The new benchmark follows a broader trend of rising wealth inequality documented by the Center for American Progress, which reported that the top 1 percent saw an average net‑worth increase of $1.8 trillion last year while the bottom 50 percent saw a $1,157 rise. UBS’s Global Wealth Report 2026 placed the average US household net‑worth at about $660,000, underscoring the gap between average and top‑tier wealth.
Key facts
- Visa sets the national net‑worth threshold for the US top‑10 percent at $1.8 million. (independent.co.uk)
- Regional thresholds range from $1.7 million in the Midwest to $2 million in the West. (independent.co.uk)
- 12.2 million US households are now in the top‑10 percent of wealth. (independent.co.uk)
- In 2024, about 1,000 new millionaires were created each day, according to Visa. (independent.co.uk)
- Top‑10 percent households spend more on apparel, airline travel and lodging than other households. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “This is the net worth you need to be considered rich in America”
