USA: Home to More Millionaires Than Ireland's Entire Population

The global count of millionaires stands at an impressive 15 million, surpassing the entire population of Rwanda, the 28th most populous African nation.

Visualizing Millionaire Populations

In an enlightening visualization, Pallavi Rao from Visual Capitalist presents the top 10 countries with the most significant millionaire populations. Each country is then compared to another country with a similar total population. The data used for this graphic is sourced from Henley & Partners and the World Bank, and is current up to 2024. It's important to note that a millionaire, in this context, is defined as an individual with liquid investable wealth of $1 million or more.

Comparing Millionaire Populations with Countries

Topping the list, the United States boasts the highest number of millionaires globally, with nearly 5.5 million. To put this into perspective, this number surpasses the entire population of Ireland. In a span of just 10 years, the number of millionaires in the U.S. has surged by 62%. As of 2024, the U.S. accounts for more than a third of the world's millionaires. Being the world's largest economy, the U.S. attracts millionaires from other countries, presenting them with opportunities for further wealth accumulation.

Global Millionaire Counts

While no other country matches the U.S. in terms of millionaire count, it is fascinating to understand the extent of millionaire populations worldwide. For instance, China is home to 860,000 millionaires, which is more than the entire population of the South American nation of Guyana. Germany, with slightly over 800,000 millionaires, could single-handedly replace the entire population of Bhutan. Switzerland is another interesting case, with its millionaire population (428,000) surpassing the total population of Iceland. Given that Switzerland's population is around 8 million, this implies that one in every 20 Swiss residents has over $1 million in investable wealth.

Bottom Line

The data presented here paints a vivid picture of wealth distribution across the globe. It's intriguing to see how the millionaire count in some countries surpasses the total population of others. This raises questions about global wealth distribution and the opportunities available for wealth creation in different parts of the world. What are your thoughts on this? Do you find these statistics surprising? Feel free to share this article with your friends and engage in a conversation about global wealth. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.