Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/63571 
Year of Publication: 
2007
Series/Report no.: 
WIDER Research Paper No. 2007/17
Publisher: 
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki
Abstract: 
This paper discusses issues that arise in the comparison of estimates of wealth holdings and their distribution in light of data for selected OECD countries. We find large differences in the level of wealth, depending on whether the mean or median levels are compared across countries. Sensitivity of wealth estimates to survey design are evident in that even within countries, these ranking of two different surveys depends on how central tendency is measured. Comparisons of the composition of household wealth based on secondary data, as well as the distribution of net worth, are difficult because comparable data are scarce. The evidence suggests that country ranking by level of net worth inequality is similar to that by income inequality, and that net worth inequality has tended to increase across the countries we examine.
Subjects: 
net worth
wealth level
wealth inequality
JEL: 
D31
ISBN: 
9291909564=978-92-9190-956-8
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
119.06 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.