The latest Global Wealth Report 2025 from UBS, supplemented by data shared with Euronews, paints a stark picture of wealth inequality across Europe. Net worth—defined as the total value of financial and real assets, primarily housing, minus debts—varies enormously from one country to another.
In 2024, average wealth per adult across 31 European countries spanned from a low of €29,923 in Turkey to a high of €634,584 in Switzerland. Within the European Union, the range was slightly less extreme but still striking: from €44,568 in Romania to €523,591 in Luxembourg.
Switzerland and Luxembourg Lead; UK Tops Major Economies
Only two countries boast average wealth per adult above €500,000: Switzerland and Luxembourg. Denmark follows in third place at €444,898. The Netherlands (€342,477), Norway (€340,364), Belgium (€322,805), the United Kingdom (€313,840), and Sweden (€308,935) all exceed €300,000.
Among Europe's five largest economies, the UK has the highest average wealth, while Italy records the lowest at €198,321. France stands at €278,550, Germany at €237,172, and Spain at €215,945.
More than a third of the countries surveyed have average wealth per adult below €100,000. This group includes Latvia (€91,783), Czechia (€86,791), Croatia (€76,358), Estonia (€72,276), Lithuania (€63,189), Slovakia (€58,573), Poland (€56,159), Hungary (€55,276), Bulgaria (€47,798), Romania (€44,568), and Turkey (€29,923).
Median Wealth: A Different Perspective
The report cautions that average figures can be skewed upward by a small number of very wealthy individuals. Median wealth—the midpoint of the distribution—often provides a clearer view of typical household wealth. In every country, median wealth is lower than average, and in some cases the gap is enormous. In Switzerland, for instance, median wealth plunges to €168,374 from an average of €634,584.
Median wealth per adult ranges from €7,765 in Turkey to €365,244 in Luxembourg. Within the EU, the median spans from €22,257 in Poland to the same Luxembourg peak. Belgium ranks second in median wealth at €234,238, followed by Denmark (€199,647), Switzerland (€168,374), and the UK (€162,944).
Median wealth exceeds €100,000 in France (€134,901), Norway (€131,653), the Netherlands (€121,855), Spain (€116,676), Italy (€114,988), and Malta (€111,673). Among the major economies, the UK again leads, while Germany has the lowest median at €69,949. Several countries, mostly in Eastern Europe, report median wealth below €50,000.
Rankings Shift Dramatically
Switching from average to median wealth reshuffles the rankings considerably. Germany, Sweden, Austria, and Czechia each drop six places when median is used—Germany falls from 11th to 17th. Conversely, Malta rises six places, from 17th to 11th. Belgium, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, France, and the UK also rank higher on median wealth than on average wealth.
These disparities underscore a clear West-North versus East divide. Financial hubs like Switzerland and Luxembourg dominate the top, while Nordic countries perform strongly but unevenly—Finland sits near the middle of the table. The gap between the richest and poorest countries exceeds 20-fold across Europe, and more than 10-fold within the EU. For median wealth, the overall gap is narrower across most countries, but the extremes are wider: more than 45 times across Europe and more than 15 times within the EU.
For a forward-looking perspective, see our analysis on Projected European Wealth in 2030: Stability at the Top, Persistent Gaps. And for insights on how savers are missing out, read Europe's Silent Wealth Drain: Why Savers Miss Out on Investment Gains.
