What Is Wealth Distribution and Why Does It Matter?

How a country’s wealth is divided among its population, also called wealth distribution, is a product of multiple factors including income, household savings, and asset returns. Recent measures reveal the wealthiest 1 percent of American households typically holds more than 30 percent of the country’s wealth – an imbalance that is significant and of particular interest to economists.

What causes wealth inequality and why does wealth distribution matter to economists and policymakers?

Join the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland for a conversation about new ways to study wealth distribution and a question-and-answer session about the impact of wealth distribution and inequality in the United States.