For the richest Americans, stocks, real estate and businesses make up a large portion of net worth. For the middle class, a home is what drives wealth. The charts below show typical asset breakdowns according to economic class.

TOP 1%

Principal residence 7.8%
Stock, financial securities, mutual funds and personal trusts 31.6%
Liquid assets (bank deposits, money-market funds and cash surrender value of life insurance) 5.0%
Unincorporated business equity and other real estate 46.9%
Pension accounts 6.9%
Miscellaneous assets 1.8%

NEXT 19%

Principal residence] 28.8%
Stock, financial securities, mutual funds and personal trusts] 20.0%
Liquid assets (bank deposits, money-market funds and cash surrender value of life insurance)] 11.3%
Unincorporated business equity and other real estate] 23.2%
Pension accounts] 14.9%
Miscellaneous assets] 1.8%

MIDDLE THREE QUINTILES

Principal residence] 59.8%
Stock, financial securities, mutual funds and personal trusts] 5.5%
Liquid assets (bank deposits, money-market funds and cash surrender value of life insurance)] 11.8%
Unincorporated business equity and other real estate] 8.8%
Pension accounts] 12.3%
Miscellaneous assets] 1.8%

Notes: Top 1%: net worth of $3,352,100 or more. Next 19%: net worth of $257,700 to $3,352,100. Middle quintiles: net worth of $263 to $257,700. Source: Federal Reserve's 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances.