Reference
Net worth by age in the United States.
Median US family net worth runs from $39,000 under 35 to $409,900 between 65 and 74. These are official Federal Reserve survey figures, not Net Worth Leader estimates.
Household statistics from the Survey of Consumer Finances, in 2022 dollars.
| Age of family head | Median net worth | Average net worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,500 |
| 35 to 44 | $135,600 | $549,600 |
| 45 to 54 | $247,200 | $975,800 |
| 55 to 64 | $364,500 | $1,566,900 |
| 65 to 74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 |
| 75 and older | $335,600 | $1,624,100 |
| All families | $192,900 | $1,063,700 |
Source: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 wave, reported in the Changes in US Family Finances bulletin. Values are in 2022 dollars. The survey runs every three years, so these remain the latest published figures until the next wave is released. Net Worth Leader republishes them and does not produce them.
Read the median, not the average
The two columns above describe the same population and disagree by a factor of five. That is not an error. The average adds every family's net worth together and divides by the number of families, so a handful of very large fortunes drags it upward. The median is the family in the exact middle: half of US families are above it, half below.
The pattern holds in every band. In each age group the average sits roughly four to five times the median, which is what a long right tail looks like: most families cluster near the middle figure while a small number sit far above it. If you are comparing yourself to a number, compare yourself to the median.
Why net worth climbs and then flattens
The shape of the table is the ordinary financial life cycle. Early adulthood carries student debt and a new mortgage against small savings, so net worth starts low and is often negative. It rises through peak earning years as loan balances fall and retirement accounts compound. It peaks somewhere in the late sixties or early seventies, then declines in the oldest band as retirees spend down savings and pass assets on.
Two forces do most of the work: home equity, which builds slowly as a mortgage amortizes, and retirement accounts, which compound. Neither depends on a high income. Both depend on time, which is why the age bands look the way they do.
What these figures do not tell you
- They are national. Median net worth in a high-cost metro looks nothing like the national figure, in either direction.
- They are per family, not per person. A two-earner household and a single-earner household appear in the same table.
- They are a snapshot. The survey is taken every three years, and asset prices move constantly in between.
- They say nothing about cash flow. A family can have solid net worth and still struggle month to month, because home equity and retirement accounts are not spendable.
Where your own number fits
The compare-your-net-worth tool adds what you own, subtracts what you owe, and shows the result against the public fortune estimates tracked on this site. It runs entirely in your browser: the amount you enter never enters a URL, a request, storage, or any log. If you are not sure what to count, the step-by-step guide walks through it.
Common questions
What is a good net worth for my age?
There is no single right answer, because net worth depends on income, cost of living, student debt, whether you own a home, and when you started investing. The median for your age band is a reference point, not a target. A more useful test is direction: is your net worth higher than it was a year ago, and is the gap between what you own and what you owe widening in your favor?
Why is the average net worth so much higher than the median?
Because a small number of very large fortunes pull the average up. In the 2022 survey the average US family net worth was $1,063,700 while the median was $192,900, a gap of more than five times. The median is the middle household, so it describes a typical family far better than the average does.
Does net worth include a house or a retirement account?
Yes. Net worth counts everything you own at market value, including home equity, retirement accounts, vehicles, and business stakes, minus everything you owe, including the mortgage, student loans, car loans, and credit card balances.
Is it normal to have a negative net worth?
It is common, especially before 35, when student loans and a new mortgage can outweigh savings. A negative number means debts currently exceed assets. It says nothing about income, career, or character.