# How big is the market for extremely high end goods and services

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-the-market-for-extremely-high-end-goods-and-services/796447>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 16, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-the-market-for-extremely-high-end-goods-and-services/796447 "2017-09-16T02:50:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-the-market-for-extremely-high-end-goods-and-services/796447/1 "2017-09-16T02:50:52Z")

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By extremely high end I mean homes that cost 10+ million, cars that cost half a million, hotels that are $5,000+ a night, private jets.

I’d assume only people who got extremely rich in business, entertainment or politics can afford these items. Them and their families. But what is a rough estimate for their number globally?

100,000? A million?

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-the-market-for-extremely-high-end-goods-and-services/796447/2 "2017-09-16T03:37:13Z")

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[This 2016 article says there are 5,000 households in the U.S. with net worth more than $100 million.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2015/06/15/5000-u-s-households-worth-more-than-100-million-report-says-2/#13673b3f779e) China comes in next with 1,000. Add in a few thousand more from assorted other countries and I’m sure it’s something greater than 10,000.

[But this Wiki article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_high-net-worth_individual)defines Ultra High Net Worth as \>$30 million, and says there are 211,275 people worldwide at that level. Add in the families and you’re easily over 500,000 people.

Maybe $30 million isn’t quite rich enough to get everything you want. On the other hand, a lot of those billionaires have relatives who are also pretty wealthy. Just spitballing, I’d guess the worldwide market is probably about 250,000.