How Many People in the US Invest in the Stock Market?

The stock market is quite complex, but many people are interested in it. So, how many people invest in the stock market, and what percentage of the population takes part in it?

These are some of the questions that we’ll answer in this article, so keep reading and stay tuned for more information about the stock market and how it affects all of us!

Key Statistics for 2024 - Editor’s Choice

• The world’s stock market cap was worth $109.5 trillion in 2023.
• The US stock market was worth more than $46.2 trillion by Q2 2023.
• In 2023, 61% of adults in the US invested in stocks.
• In 2019, 53% of American families were invested in the stock market.
• Almost 55% of Baby Boomers owned stocks in Q1 2022.

In 2023, 61% of adults in the US were invested in stocks.

(Statista)

According to Statista's survey on US stock ownership between 1999 and 2023, the percentage of adults who invested in 2023 was 61%. This means that almost two thirds of all adults in the US have some share in the stock market game.

The peak was in 2007, when 65% of all adults were invested. After the Great Recession, which took place from late 2007 to mid-2009, the percentage sharply declined and continued to decrease until 2013, when it hit 52%.

After that, the number of people invested in the stock market plateaued for several years, but is now on a slow and steady rise, growing by 3% compared to 2022.

84% of upper-income Americans owned stock or other personal investments in 2023.

(Gallup)

The most recent Gallup survey from May 2023 showed that 84% of upper-income Americans (with $100k or more in yearly earnings) had stocks or other investments. Comparatevely, only 29% of people with less than $40,000 in earnings had money invested in the stock market

The world’s stock market cap is $109.5 trillion in 2023.

(Visual Capitalist)

According to Visual Capitalist, the world’s stock market cap in 2023 is at around $109.5 trillion. This number has been on the rise in recent years, in fact, it tripled in the past twenty years, and the trend is expected to continue in the future. The top two exchanges by market cap were the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq, both of which are located in the United States.

The NYSE dominated the world stock market in August 2023 with a market cap of $25 trillion. The Nasdaq was second with a market cap of $21.7 trillion, catching up to the NYSE with an incredible 186% growth since 2016.

This shows the immense power and influence that the US stock market has on the world economy and worldwide financial markets.

The US stock market was worth more than $46.2 trillion by Q2 2023.

(Visual Capitalist)

This year, the US market equity capitalization was at 42.5%, making it almost four times larger than the European Union at 11.1%. However, experts at Goldman Sachs predict that the emerging economies will grow faster than developed markets in the coming years, and estimate that by 2030, the US share of the global equity market cap will shrink to 35%. 

74% of married people are invested in stocks in 2023, and are more likely to own stocks than those who aren't married.

(Gallup)

The Gallup poll on US stock ownership rates from 2008 to 2023 revealed that married people are more likely to own stocks than those who aren’t married. A total of 74% of surveyees who were married said they had invested in stocks, while only 48% of those who were not married said the same.

67% of non-Hispanic white households own stocks in 2023.

(Gallup)

According to Gallup, more than two thirds of white non-hispanic households have at least one stock investment, compared to 49% of households of peope of color.

In 2023, 73% of upper-income Republicans owned stocks and were more likely to invest in the stock market than Democrats.

(Pew Research Center)

In 2019, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey to find out how many Americans own stocks and how they compare in terms of political affiliation. The survey revealed that Republicans were more likely than Democrats to invest in stocks. This was true for both upper-income and lower-income Republicans. 

Among upper-income Republicans, 73% held stock, while only 64% of upper-income Democrats did. When it comes to lower-income households, there was a similar gap, with 18% of Republicans and 13% of Democrats owning stocks.

Almost 55% of Baby Boomers owned stocks in Q1 2022.

(The Federal Reserve)

Based on the Federal Reserve data from the first quarter of 2022, 54.9% of Baby Boomers owned stocks, which is the highest percentage of any age group. Gen Xers come in second with 26.5%, followed by Millennials at only 2.6%.

53% of LinkedIn users had stock investments in 2021.

(Statista)

A recent study by Statista on US stock ownership among social media users showed that five out of ten LinkedIn users had stock investments in 2021. At 53%, LinkedIn is currently the leading social network in this regard, followed closely by Reddit, with 52% of Reddit users reportedly being invested in stocks.

When it comes to other mainstream social networks, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Snapchat all fell in the 36%-42% range in regards to the percentage of users invested in stocks. This is only expected, given that the survey showed that only 39% of all respondents reported investing in stocks.

In 2019, 53% of American families were invested in the stock market.

(The Federal Reserve)

A 2020 report from the Federal Reserve showed that 53% of American families were investing in the stock market. This was up from 52% in 2016, showing that more families are starting to invest in stocks. 

Based on the stock market ownership by income data, around 31% of all families in the lower-income chart were invested. In comparison, 70% of families in the upper-middle-income chart were invested in the stock market.

The report also showed that the median value of stock holdings of those in the bottom half was $10,000. At the same time, the families in the upper-middle-income group had a median value of $40,000, and those at the very top had a median value of over $400,000 invested in stocks.

In 2022, 79% of postgraduates were invested in stocks and are more likely to own stocks than those with a lower educational level.

(Gallup)

According to Gallup's 2022 study on stock ownership among Americans, 79% of postgraduates and 73% of college graduates are invested in the stock market. Meanwhile, only 36% of those with a high school diploma or a lower educational level are invested.

There are many reasons why individuals with higher education are more likely to invest in stocks. Mainly, they have higher incomes and can afford to take on more risk. They’re also more likely to have a 401(k) plan or another employer-sponsored retirement plan, which makes investing in stocks much easier.

In 2023, 62% of women owned stocks.

(Gallup)

Another thing we learned from the Gallup study is that men are now less likely to own stocks than women, who surprassed them in 2023 with 62% investing in the stock market, compared to 59% of men.

Final Thoughts

These statistics show that the stock market is becoming more and more accessible to the average American, and there are many great platforms for those who want to get started with investing. 

With social media playing a big role in investment decisions, it’s easier than ever for people to start their investing journey. And as we can see from the data, the percentage of Americans who own stock is increasing each year.

There are still some barriers to overcome, however. For example, lower-income families and people of color are less likely to be invested in the stock market than upper-middle-income and white families.

But overall, it’s encouraging to see that more and more people are taking an interest in the stock market. And with the proper education and guidance, anyone can start investing in stocks.