Editor's Note: This article was updated Aug. 13, 2021, with Gallup's latest data pertaining to Americans' stock ownership.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the bull stock market continuing, it is fair to ask what percentage of Americans are personally invested in the market.
Thus far in 2021, Gallup finds 56% of Americans reporting that they own stock, based on polls conducted in April and July. This is similar to the average 55% recorded in both 2019 and 2020, and the average of 55% Gallup has measured since 2009.
Stock ownership was more common from 2001 to 2008 when an average 62% of U.S. adults said they owned stock -- but it fell after the 2007-2009 recession and has not fully rebounded.
Trend from 1998 to 2021 in percentage of U.S. adults who own stock, based on annual averages. The rate was 60% in 1998 and remained near this level through 2009 but has since trended lower. The figure has been steady near 55% from 2009 to 2021.
Gallup's measure of consumer stock ownership is based on a question asking respondents about any individual stocks they may own, as well as stocks included in a mutual fund or retirement savings account, like a 401(k) or IRA.
Stock ownership is strongly correlated with household income, formal education, age and race.
In 2021, the percentages owning stock range from highs of 89% of adults in households earning $100,000 or more and 84% of those with postgraduate education to lows of 24% of those in households earning less than $40,000 and 29% of Hispanic adults.
| Yes, own stock | No, do not | No. of interviews | |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | ||
| U.S. adults | 56 | 43 | 1,968 |
| Men | 60 | 40 | 1,069 |
| Women | 53 | 47 | 899 |
| 18-29 | 39 | 61 | 265 |
| 30-49 | 60 | 40 | 489 |
| 50-64 | 62 | 37 | 520 |
| 65+ | 59 | 39 | 670 |
| Non-Hispanic White adults | 65 | 34 | 1,442 |
| Non-Hispanic Black adults | 45 | 55 | 181 |
| Hispanic adults | 29 | 71 | 221 |
| Postgraduate | 84 | 16 | 380 |
| College graduate only | 77 | 22 | 464 |
| Some college | 56 | 43 | 667 |
| No college | 33 | 67 | 440 |
| $100,000+ | 89 | 11 | 504 |
| $40,000-$99,999 | 63 | 37 | 753 |
| <$40,000 | 24 | 76 | 519 |
| Republicans | 65 | 34 | 561 |
| Independents | 51 | 48 | 794 |
| Democrats | 56 | 43 | 568 |
| Gallup, April-July 2021 | |||
Learn more about the decline in U.S. stock ownership since the Great Recession:
U.S. Stock Ownership Down Among All but Older, Higher-Income
Read Gallup's latest release on Americans' views of the best type of investment:
