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> I doubt the lower class is collectively storing much wealth in housing

Doesn't directly answer your point regarding wealth, but FWIW 47% of people in the bottom quintile own their home. https://www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2024/homeownership-am... It's actually near a 35 year peak.



47% is still substantially lower than housing owned by the rich. On top of that, the housing owned by the lower class tends to be lower value. They probably “own” their house through big mortgages, which is just another form of rent paid to the rich.


> 47% is still substantially lower than housing owned by the rich.

Yes, which is 80+%. Though it's only slightly less than the homeownership rates for the middle quintiles.

> They probably “own” their house through big mortgages, which is just another form of rent paid to the rich.

That article also mentions that home equity constitutes 38% of total assets--the largest chunk--for homeowners in the bottom quintile. Which AFAICT (in a quick search) is greater than the top quintile but less than the middle quintiles, though it's unclear if those other numbers are for just homeowners in those quintiles, or overall averages.


The value of their home for the lower quartile, and probably the bottom 3 quartiles will be >100% of their net worth.


Unless I’m missing something, that’s quintiles of absolute wealth. I’d be curious how the data shakes out for the lowest quintile calculated relative to costs of living.




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