Meet the Mass Affluents—a new segment of wealthy Americans defined by Nielsen as households with income producing assets between $250,000 and $1m (excluding real estate). More than 13 million households are classified as Mass Affluent, representing approximately 11 percent of all U.S. households.

In addition to their above-average assets, they also reported an average household income of $105,000 in 2011, more than 50 percent higher than the national average income of $62,912.

Mass Affluents are difficult for marketers to reach. They have a distinct lifestyle from the rest of the nation in terms of media consumption, technology adoption, financial attitudes and—most important to financial institutions—preferences for financial products and services. To win over this group, marketers will need to understand how to sub-segment the types of households within this group, as well as develop new products and services, differentiated messages and varied channels to serve them.

They often live in suburbs, are primarily empty-nesters and baby boomers and they often work in finance, business and management careers and possess multiple investment accounts. They are avid consumers of media.

Sophisticated, well-educated consumers (many have both a bachelor’s and post-graduate degrees), these baby boomers tend to tune out traditional marketing strategies and, most importantly, do not think of themselves as rich.

Mass Affluents represent a sweet spot between the mass-market and affluent groups, as they offer a larger, more accessible audience with above-average profit margins. Diversity among Mass Affluents makes segmentation essential for marketers hoping to reach them, and marketers will need to use strategic solutions to find and appeal to these under-the-radar, wealthy households.

Some highlights of the Mass Affluents are:

• They have income producing assets between $250,000 - $1,000,000
• Their estimated aggregated income producing assets total more than $7.5 trillion
• Two-thirds are over 55 years old
• Most are couples without kids or empty nesters
• They own their own homes
• They work in Finance, Business and Management careers, or own their own business
• They are avid readers of newspapers, trade journals, travel and home-related magazines
• They possess multiple investment accounts including 401K, IRA, CDs and hold a fixed mortgage
• They are adopters of high-end technology like digital recorders, video game consoles, smartphones and tablet devices
• They tend to shop less frequently than other groups, but spend more per shopping trip

Click here to find out more about Nielsen's Affluence in America report.