Statistics · checked October 2026
Generational Wealth Statistics (2026)
Who owns what across the eight living generations, and what that means for Alpha and Beta.
Baby Boomers hold roughly half of global wealth while making up about 14% of the population. Generation Alpha holds under 1%, and Generation Beta effectively none.
| Statistic | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boomer share of global wealth | ~50% | 2025 | UBS / Fed DFA |
| Boomer share of population | ~14% | 2026 | UN WPP |
| Gen X share of wealth | ~28% | 2025 | UBS / Fed DFA |
| Millennial share of wealth | ~14% | 2025 | UBS / Fed DFA |
| Gen Z share of wealth | ~5% | 2025 | UBS / Fed DFA |
| Gen Alpha share of wealth | <1% | 2025 | Estimated |
| Projected wealth transfer to 2048 | ~$84 trillion | 2025 | Cerulli Associates |
| Share expected to reach grandchildren | ~10–20% | Projected | Industry estimates |
| Cost of raising a child to 18, US | ~$310,000 | 2025 | USDA-style estimates |
| Cost of raising a child to 18, UK | ~£260,000 | 2025 | CPAG-style estimates |
| House price to income ratio, UK | ~8.3x | 2025 | ONS |
| House price to income ratio, UK 1997 | ~3.5x | 1997 | ONS |
Averages hide the skew
The wealth transfer figure is the one most often quoted and most often misused. It is a total, not a per-person amount, and the distribution is extremely skewed — a small minority of recipients receive most of it.
For most Alpha and Beta children the practical inheritance is not money but housing cost, which is why the affordability ratio row matters more than the transfer row.
Frequently asked
How much wealth do Boomers hold?
Roughly half of global wealth, against about 14% of the world population.
Will Gen Alpha inherit the great wealth transfer?
Most of the estimated $84 trillion transfer goes to Gen X and Millennials. Only an estimated 10–20% reaches grandchildren directly.
AlphaBetaMinds (2026). Generational Wealth Statistics. Retrieved from https://alphabetaminds.com/statistics/generational-wealth