Stocks Surpass Real Estate in Share of Americans' Wealth

In mid-2026, for the first time since World War II, stocks accounted for a larger share of American household wealth than real estate. The shift is part of a global trend: of the $40 trillion increase in household wealth in 2025, about 57 percent came from stocks and only 15 percent from real estate, whereas over the 25 years before, real estate's average share was 52 percent. Rising housing prices, nor

By mid-2026, stocks accounted for a larger share of American household wealth than real estate for the first time since World War II. This development is part of a global trend during which, of the 40 trillion dollars increase in the wealth of families in 2025, about 57% of the place of stocks and only 15% of the place of real estate have been created; While during the previous 25 years, the average share of real estate was 52%. Rising housing prices, high interest rates and a booming stock market, especially among the younger generation, have changed the traditional pattern of wealth accumulation.

Sefir Arjan-Economic Group: Housing, which was one of the most important means of accumulating family wealth in developed economies for several decades, is gradually ceding part of its position to the stock market. The Economist, in a report on the change in the composition of assets, shows that the increase in the value of stocks and the decrease in the growth rate of real estate prices have increased the share of the capital market in the wealth of families. This evolution is more obvious in the US than in other countries, so that in July 2026, stocks surpassed real estate for the first time in about eight decades.

According to the calculations of the McKinsey Global Institute, the wealth of families in the world will increase by 40 trillion dollars during 2025. Of this amount, 57%, equivalent to about 22,800 billion dollars, was related to the increase in the value of shares, and the share of real estate was only 15%, equivalent to 6,000 billion dollars.

This combination is significantly different from the long-term trend. In the past 25 years, on average, 52% of the increase in family wealth was created from real estate and 26% from stocks.

In America, according to calculations by Goldman Sachs, the share of family wealth in July 2026 exceeded that of real estate; An event that has not happened since World War II.

However, the increase in shares does not necessarily mean the massive sale of houses and the direct transfer of financial resources to the stock market. The change in the relative price of assets has also played an important role in this evolution. The rapid rise in the value of stocks, especially technology companies, along with slowing house price growth, has changed the composition of wealth.

Changing investment behavior among the younger generation has also helped to strengthen this trend. According to a JPMorgan Chase bank study, the share of 25-year-old Americans who put money in their investment accounts will increase sixfold between 2015 and 2024.

This bank believes that the increase in the cost of buying housing is one of the factors of the growth of young people's investment in financial assets.

In many developed economies, rising house prices and high interest rates have made it difficult to enter the housing market. For example, in Ireland, about three-fifths of 18-34-year-olds still live with their parents.

In the past, buying a house was an important way to build wealth in addition to providing a place to live. In the UK, estimates from financial institution Yorkshire Building Society show that home owners of retirement age are on average almost £800,000 richer than renters, with almost half of this difference directly attributable to residential property.

However, the high cost of entering the real estate market has made some of the younger generation consider investing in stocks a more accessible option.

The difference in the return outlook of the two markets also plays a role in changing the composition of wealth. Moody's Analytics predicts average annual growth in U.S. home prices will be limited to 2.1 percent between 2026 and 2035, compared to around 5 percent over the past decade.

In contrast, the US stock market has grown significantly in recent years. The ratio of companies' stock market value to the book value of their net assets has reached the highest historical level and according to the calculations of the McKinsey Global Institute, it is about 50% higher than the peak of the Internet bubble era in the early 2000s.

This difference shows that investors have placed more value on the future profitability of companies, but at the same time, it can be a sign of increasing the risk of stock valuation.

In some countries, government policies have also helped to reduce the attractiveness of real estate investment. Britain will introduce more protections for renters in 2026, and Canada will limit foreign property purchases from 2023. As a result, speculative activities have decreased in parts of the housing market in these countries.

Reducing household wealth reliance on real estate can limit some of the risk from the housing credit boom, but greater dependence on the stock market makes them more vulnerable to financial asset price fluctuations.

Recent developments show that the traditional pattern of wealth accumulation, based on housing ownership and long-term price increases, is changing. However, the durability of this shift will largely depend on continued growth in corporate value and stock market performance in the coming years.

With the announcement of the new guidelines for the economic grouping of households, the criteria for identifying the financial status of people have changed; From property and car value to energy consumption, stock market assets and bank facilities. According to this resolution, households are placed in three economic groups, and the amount of goods for each group must be approved by the Board of Ministers.

Referring to the implementation of the law requiring the official registration of real estate transactions, the head of Mazandaran Notaries and Clerks Association said that the transactions covered by this law must be registered with an official document.

The judiciary announced: So far, 143 cases of properties related to people who have carried out propaganda or practical actions against the country have been seized in Tehran and 182 bank accounts have been blocked.