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From: eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Wealth Distribution
Message-ID: <243@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 17:23:57 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.243
Posted: Wed Dec  5 17:23:57 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Dec-84 07:40:09 EST
References: <253@mhuxh.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 51

> >When is the last time you saw ANY newspaper present information about the
> >distribution of wealth in this country?  Occasionally they present information
> >about the distribution of income, never about the distribution of wealth.

     Always willing to throw some facts at a discussion, here is some
data on 'wealth' in the US.  The source data is the Statistical Abstract
of the US, 1978 edition, with adjustment to the present for inflation and
an assumed 2.7% per year increase in real wealth (this is the average 
historical rate).

NATIONAL WEALTH -- The value of the United States and everything in it
 except the people is 13.75 Trillion dollars, of which 10.5 Trillion
is privately owned.  The major components are: Land, 3.1 Trillion; 
Residences, 3.2 Trillion; Other Structures, 4 Trillion; Equipment, 2
Trillion; and Households, 1.45 Trillion.

PERSONAL  WEALTH -- The components of personal wealth are (in Trillions)
Real estate - 4.5, Stock - 2.6, Bonds - 0.5, Cash & Savings - 2.2, 
Debt Instruments - 0.2, Life Insurance - 0.4, Misc. - 2.5, less Debts
- (-2.4).

WEALTH DISTRIBUTION -- These figures are approximate and interpolated
values.  Real estate is assessed for tax collection, Stocks & Bonds are
traded on exchanges.  Hence, there is fairly accurate data on amounts.
Who owns what, on the other hand, is only investigated at death for
estate taxes, so the data is not as good.  With those caveats, the
table below gives the distribution of wealth in the US.  

Wealth Class	Net Worth	------------Percentages--------------
		(K$)		of population	Cum.     Cum. Wealth
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Superrich	>7500		.1		.1		22
Very rich	4000-7500	.3		.4		39
Rich		1500-4000	.6		1		52

Very wealthy	 750-1500	.8		1.8		61
Wealthy		 300-750	1.2		3		66
Moderately "	 175-300	2		5		71

Upper Upper	 100-175	5		10		77
Upper		  66-100	10		20		86
Lower Upper	  52-66		5		25		90

Upper Middle	  30-52		15		40		96
Middle		   8-30		25		65		99
Lower Middle	   0-8		20		85	       100
Poor		<0		15		100	       100
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Dani Eder / Boeing Aerospace Company / ssc-vax!eder / (206)773-4545