Italian household wealth rises, inequality persists
Banca d'Italia has released experimental statistics on Distributional Wealth Accounts for Italian households, updated to the fourth quarter of 2025. Net wealth per household reached €453,000, while wealth inequality increased.
Wealth per household rises
Banca d'Italia has published its experimental Distributional Wealth Accounts (DWA) for Italian households, providing an updated picture to the fourth quarter of 2025.
The statistics reveal that the average net wealth per Italian household, encompassing both real estate and financial assets net of liabilities, reached €453,000. This figure represents a slight but notable increase compared to the €431,000 recorded per household in 2024, indicating a positive trend in overall household wealth accumulation.
The DWA methodology combines data from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS), a harmonized survey across euro area countries, with national accounts aggregates to ensure comprehensive and consistent reporting.
This integrated approach allows for a granular analysis of wealth distribution dynamics across various demographic segments within Italy, offering insights into the economic well-being of different population groups and the factors influencing their financial positions.
The updated data underscores the ongoing recovery and resilience of Italian household finances in the face of evolving economic conditions.
Concentration and portfolio shifts
The updated statistics confirm a continued concentration of wealth among Italian households.
The wealthiest 10 percent of households hold 60.6 percent of total net wealth, while the bottom half possesses only 7.2 percent.
This disparity is also reflected in the Gini index, which increased slightly from 71.5 in 2024 to 72.2 in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Portfolio composition varies significantly across these wealth groups.
For households in the bottom half, over 90 percent of assets consist of dwellings (73.6 percent) and deposits (17.5 percent).
Upper wealth brackets, however, hold more diversified portfolios, with a greater share of financial instruments beyond deposits, indicating broader investment engagement.
Inequality's stubborn grip
The Banca d'Italia's latest DWA update confirms that Italy's wealth distribution remains deeply entrenched, with modest overall growth failing to significantly alter the landscape of inequality.
The slight uptick in the Gini index, despite an increase in average net wealth, underscores the challenge of achieving more equitable economic outcomes without targeted policy interventions.
For policymakers, these figures highlight the ongoing need to address structural factors that perpetuate wealth disparities, rather than relying solely on aggregate growth.