19 Richest US Households Gain $1 Trillion in 2024

In 2024, the 19 wealthiest American households, including figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, saw their collective wealth increase by $1 trillion, marking the largest single-year gain recorded for this group. This surge meant these individuals now control 1.8% of total U.S. household wealth, or approximately $2.6 trillion, a dramatic rise from 1.2% the previous year. The accelerating concentration of wealth among the super rich is attributed in part to a booming stock market, with indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experiencing significant gains. The number of billionaires in the U.S. and globally also continues to climb, with Forbes reporting a record number of over 3,000 billionaires worldwide in 2025. Economists note this rapid accumulation represents a sharp acceleration compared to the gradual growth seen over previous decades. Meanwhile, the wealth share of the bottom half of Americans has declined, further widening the gap between the richest and the rest.