Minnesota
Related: About this forumRichest 1% of Minnesota families own nearly one third of the wealth
The wealthiest communities in the Twin Cities are roughly 10 times richer than the poorest ones, according to a new database of household wealth.
Median households in parts of the west metro including Lake Minnetonka, Plymouth and Maple Grove have a net worth well over $400,000. Those in parts of south Minneapolis and the western part of St. Paul have closer to $40,000.
Meanwhile, Minnesota wealth has also become more concentrated in fewer hands.
Net worth, or wealth, is a measure of a households assets, like cash accounts, retirement accounts, and home equity, minus its debts. For most people in the middle class, home equity is the chief component of household wealth. Many families have a negative net worth, which means their debts are greater than their assets.
In the richest areas of the country, like Palo Alto or the New York City suburbs, the typical family is worth well over $1 million. In the poorest communities, which are in New York, Houston and Milwaukee, the typical family has only $18,000 in assets.
People who grow up in wealthier places can reap benefits that span generations, Tom Kemeny, one of the databases compilers, explained in a recent commentary. As a result of property taxes and philanthropy, wealthier communities have greater resources for schools, health care, transportation and other infrastructure.
Read more at: https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/01/28/richest-1-of-minnesota-families-own-nearly-one-third-of-the-wealth/
JT45242
(3,072 posts)Middle class teacher who now works for a nonprofit mid fifties here. Never made more than $125k per year. Only over $100k a couple of years since the pandemic with two promotions.
I have more than $500k in my 401k after rolling over teacher pension and continuing. Throw in equity in the house and I dwarf that $400k net worth. I find it hard to believe that a life of middle class communities don't have average net worth closer to 750k or one million.
Financial planners tell you to get to that number before you retire.
Wife was stay at home mom for 11 years and only worked part time after that because of hauling kids around. So not a DINK situation.
OldBaldy1701E
(6,965 posts)I suspect that may have something to do with your position on those numbers.
But just having a match of 3-4 percent and compound interest on a 401k would make that 500k number reasonable. As a teacher it was a higher percentage of money well below median family income for twenty years.
Median family income in Minnesota is 90k. So. Yeah that net worth seems low. I believe the low number is correct , I think the higher number is higher. That 400k number is likely a median not the top ten percent.
OldBaldy1701E
(6,965 posts)Who says the median income is 90K? You understand that most statistics are contrived to some degree.
Trying to make themselves sound 'not so bad' is commonplace. Lowballing numbers is also nothing new for the oligarchy and their ilk who want us to think they are as human as we are.
That is why I am curious where you got that number.
Lulu KC
(5,823 posts)$400K? The wealthiest? Even at the median, sounds low--but some of those communities don't strike me as rolling in money. I think the sample area is more middle class than I imagined from the headline.
I'm not curious enough to dissect the article, but wanted to let you know it stood out to me, too.
OldBaldy1701E
(6,965 posts)The wealthy in this city are some of the most self-centered and delusional people I have ever met. They remind me of that bit in Eddie Izzard's great show, "Dressed To Kill'. He was pointing out how removed from reality the royal family was.
(Meeting the Queen in a line at Buckingham Palace)
SUBJECT: Thank you, Your Majesty!
QUEEN: And, what do you do?
SUBJECT: I am a plumber!
QUEEN: What on earth is that?
Completely out of touch. That is the wealthy in this country, and they do not care that they are causing massive imbalances in society and those imbalances are causing the friction and turmoil we are starting to live in.
Of course, Gods, forbid we stop worshiping that green paper that they own most of. That would stop the majority of the imbalance. But, Yay Capitalism!