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Gates’ study to track wealthiest households — Arizona Republic

s the economist John Kenneth Galbraith once wrote, “of all the classes, the wealthy are the most noticed and the least studied.”

Now, the richest man in America aims to change that.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is co-funding a study that is believed to be the largest and broadest survey of the American rich ever conducted. The questions will target American households worth $25 million or more, and the study aims to have at least 1,000 respondents - a massive sample size for people of such a high net-worth level.
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The study, “The Joys and Dilemmas of Wealth,” is scheduled for release next fall. It will attempt to probe deeply into the lives of the rich, from their family and values to their philanthropy and belief in God. It also will use the latest tools in “happiness research” to try to determine whether the rich are truly happy.