Germany is often regarded as one of Europe’s economic powerhouses, but the country’s wealth distribution reveals disparities crucial to understanding. While Germany’s national wealth averages are impressive, a closer look at the difference between average and median wealth provides a clearer picture of how wealth is distributed among its citizens.
In evaluating wealth statistics, it’s important to distinguish between “average” (mean) and “median.”
Here’s how Germany’s wealth distribution compares to that of other European countries:
In Germany, median wealth is about 74% lower than the mean value. The pie chart illustrates the distribution of wealth in percentile, showing that roughly 60% of wealth is held by the top 10%, while the bottom half of the population holds only 3.4%.
Switzerland’s median wealth is about 75% lower than the mean. The pie chart illustrates that roughly 60% of wealth is concentrated in the top 10%, while the bottom half holds 3.7%.
Denmark’s median wealth is about 55% lower than the mean. The pie chart shows that approximately 50% of wealth is held by the top 10%, with the bottom half holding 4.0%.
Belgium’s median wealth is about 29% lower than the mean. The pie chart illustrates that about 52% of wealth is concentrated in the top 10%, while the bottom half holds 7.5%.
The United Kingdom’s median wealth is about 50% lower than the mean. The pie chart shows that around 57% of wealth is held by the top 10%, while the bottom half holds 4.6%.
Spain’s median wealth is about 52% lower than the mean. The pie chart illustrates that roughly 59% of wealth is concentrated in the top 10%, with the bottom half holding 6.7%.
Greece’s median wealth is about 49% lower than the mean. The pie chart shows that approximately 60% of wealth is held by the top 10%, while the bottom half holds a minimal fraction.
Russia’s median wealth is about 78% lower than the mean. The pie chart illustrates that around 48% of wealth is concentrated in the top 1%, while the bottom half holds 3.1%.
The United States’ median wealth is about 81% lower than the mean. The pie chart shows that roughly 47% of wealth is held by the top 1%, while the bottom half holds 3.4%.
| Country | Mean Wealth per Adult | Median Wealth per Adult | Wealth Gap (Median vs. Mean) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | €256,179 | €66,735 | 74% |
| Switzerland | €630,407 | €153,964 | 75.6% |
| Denmark | €377,158 | €171,158 | 54.6% |
| Belgium | €324,589 | €229,942 | 29.1% |
| United Kingdom | €278,560 | €139,679 | 49.9% |
| Spain | €206,272 | €98,906 | 52% |
| Greece | €97,266 | €49,221 | 49.4% |
| Russia | €36,353 | €7,907 | 78.2% |
| France | €290,982 | €123,217 | 70.3% |
| Iceland | €463,924 | €384,665 | 64.5% |
| Ireland | €229,192 | €84,271 | 79.9% |
| Italy | €205,870 | €99,807 | 67.8% |
| Netherlands | €280,902 | €164,786 | 61.8% |
| Norway | €392,482 | €221,872 | 66.0% |
| Sweden | €241,934 | €89,530 | 72.6% |
| United States | €507,239 | €99,123 | 80.5% |
| Country | Top 1% | Top 1–10% | Top 10–50% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 28.63 | 30.31 | 37.66 | 3.4 |
| Russia | 47.64 | 26.43 | 22.8 | 3.13 |
| Ireland | 23.05 | 42.97 | 33.98 | -3.38 |
| Bulgaria | 24.86 | 33.8 | 36.57 | 4.77 |
| UK | 21.3 | 35.63 | 38.23 | 4.64 |
| Switzerland | 31.16 | 31.5 | 33.61 | 3.73 |
| Italy | 22.09 | 34.1 | 41.28 | 2.53 |
| Norway | 22.7 | 29.51 | 44.17 | 3.62 |
| Netherlands | 16.44 | 31.45 | 43.11 | 9 |
| Denmark | 21.64 | 29.1 | 45.24 | 4.02 |
| Belgium | 14.97 | 37.22 | 40.35 | 7.46 |
| Spain | 24.27 | 33.31 | 35.75 | 6.67 |
| Greece | 23.92 | 36.82 | 39.26 | -1.84 |
| France | 26.77 | 32.56 | 35.76 | 4.91 |
| Iceland | 23.82 | 32.86 | 38.28 | 5.04 |
| Sweden | 27.65 | 31.22 | 36.34 | 4.79 |
Germany’s wealth distribution shows a big gap between the average wealth and what most people have, pointing to a concentration of wealth among the richest. The second table, which details wealth across different income groups, highlights this issue, showing that the wealthiest 1% hold a large share of the country’s wealth. This pattern is also seen in other European countries, though some, like Belgium, have less inequality, while others, like the U.S., have even bigger gaps. Understanding these differences helps in creating policies that aim to reduce wealth inequality and ensure that more people benefit from economic growth.