How Rare Is Billionaire? The Truth Behind the 1-in-Millions Status

Billionaires by the Numbers: Just How Few Are They?

Let’s start with the facts. As of 2024, there are about 2,700 billionaires worldwide. That’s out of over 8 billion people. Quick math? That’s less than 0.00003% of the global population. Yep, you read that right — it's basically like finding a unicorn that also wins the lottery and runs a trillion-dollar tech startup.

In the U.S. alone, which has the most billionaires (around 800+), that’s still only 1 in ~400,000 people. To put that into perspective: you’re more likely to be struck by lightning multiple times in your lifetime than to become a billionaire.

What It Takes to Be a Billionaire

It’s Not Just About Being Rich

Becoming a billionaire isn’t just about earning a good salary or saving up. It’s about building or owning massive assets — companies, patents, investments — that appreciate exponentially over time.

Most billionaires aren’t just sitting on piles of cash. A huge chunk of their net worth is usually tied up in stock or business equity. Think Elon Musk and Tesla shares, or Jeff Bezos with Amazon (yeah, even after his divorce).

Inheritance vs Self-Made

Here’s a fun twist — about 60-65% of billionaires are self-made, according to Forbes. Which sounds encouraging, right? But hang on. “Self-made” often still means they started with some serious advantages — elite education, strong networks, maybe a few million in startup capital from family. So yeah, self-made, but not exactly from a cardboard box.

Still, some stories are wild. Take Do Won Chang (founder of Forever 21) — he started as a janitor. Or Jan Koum (WhatsApp co-founder) — grew up on food stamps. Not common, but not impossible either.

Geographical Luck: Billionaires Are Not Evenly Spread

Billionaire Density by Country

Let’s get real. Where you're born matters. A lot.

• USA: Over 800 billionaires

• China: Roughly 500

• Germany, India, Russia: Each with 100-200

• Africa? Far fewer, and mostly centered around South Africa or Nigeria

If you’re in a country with less economic freedom, less VC funding, or unstable currency — it’s like trying to play chess while blindfolded. Doesn’t mean it can’t be done, just way harder.

City Clusters: It’s All About the Ecosystem

Think New York, San Francisco, London, Beijing. These cities are billionaire factories, not just because of money, but because of networks, innovation, and, let’s be honest, access to capital. If you’re pitching an AI startup from a rural village without internet… it’s an uphill battle.

Is It Getting Easier or Harder to Become a Billionaire?

The Rise of Tech and Crypto

Over the past 20 years, tech has massively accelerated wealth accumulation. Startups like Stripe, OpenAI, ByteDance — they’ve created billionaires out of 20-somethings. And crypto? Wild west vibes, but it minted overnight billionaires (and wiped them out just as fast).

But now? Regulation is tightening. Markets are maturing. The window isn’t closed, but it’s definitely narrower.

Billionaire Inflation?

Funny thing — there’s actually more billionaires today than ever before. But that doesn’t mean it’s easier to become one. It just means the bar ($1 billion) hasn’t moved in decades. With inflation, $1B in 2024 isn't what it was in 1990. So while the number goes up, the power of being a billionaire kinda flattens. Still rich though, don't worry.

Final Thoughts: Should You Even Try?

So, how rare is billionaire? Insanely rare. Like... rarer than winning an Olympic gold, rarer than being a Nobel laureate. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Becoming a billionaire involves a mix of timing, intelligence, grit, luck, and, yeah, some privilege. But chasing that specific number? Maybe not the healthiest goal.

Instead, maybe the better question is: What kind of impact do you want to make?
Because sometimes, the people who change the world aren't always on the Forbes list. But hey — if you make it there, call me. I’ve got questions.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.