Average Net Worth by Age in 2026: Federal Reserve Median and Mean Benchmarks

Average net worth by age in 2026 still comes from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, because that is the latest official U.S. age-by-age household wealth dataset available as of May 8, 2026. The most practical benchmark is the median, not the average: for households with a reference person under 35, median net worth is $39,000, while for ages 65 to 74 it is $409,900.

That does not mean newer wealth data does not exist at all. The Federal Reserve's March 19, 2026 Z.1 release said total household and nonprofit net worth reached $184.1 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025. But that release is an overall household-sector number, not an age breakout. The next full age-based Survey of Consumer Finances results are scheduled for late 2026, so the 2022 SCF is still the right source for average net worth by age today.

What is the average net worth by age in 2026?

Here is the latest official Federal Reserve age-by-age benchmark for U.S. households:

Age of reference person	Median net worth	Mean net worth	Median change vs. 2019
Under 35	$39,000	$183,500	+143%
35-44	$135,600	$549,600	+28%
45-54	$247,200	$975,800	+27%
55-64	$364,500	$1,566,900	+48%
65-74	$409,900	$1,794,600	+33%
75 or more	$335,600	$1,624,100	+14%

All figures above come from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances and are expressed in 2022 dollars. The table refers to households, not individuals, and uses the age of the household's reference person.

Two fast takeaways stand out:

Median net worth rises sharply through midlife and peaks in the 65 to 74 group.
Mean net worth is much higher than median net worth in every age band, which shows how concentrated wealth is at the top.

If you want the short answer to "What is a good net worth for my age?", compare yourself to the median first. That is the number that reflects a more typical household.

Why do 2026 articles still use 2022 data?

Because the Survey of Consumer Finances is a triennial survey, not a monthly or quarterly one.

The Federal Reserve says the 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances began in March 2025 and that summary results will be published in late 2026. Until those results are released, the 2022 SCF remains the most current official source for net worth by age.

This is where some articles become misleading. They headline 2026 and then quietly present 2022 data as if it were measured this year. The cleaner way to frame it is:

the latest age-by-age benchmark is from the 2022 SCF
the latest overall household-sector wealth level is from the Fed's Q4 2025 Z.1 release
those are not the same dataset and should not be mixed carelessly

That distinction matters because age-group tables are about how wealth is distributed across households, while the Z.1 release is about the aggregate size of the household balance sheet.

Is median or average net worth by age more useful?

Median net worth by age is more useful for most readers.

The median shows the middle household in each age group. Half of households are above it and half are below it. The mean, or average, is the total net worth of the group divided by the number of households, so it gets pulled upward by very wealthy households.

You can see the difference clearly:

Under 35: median $39,000, mean $183,500
Ages 35 to 44: median $135,600, mean $549,600
Ages 55 to 64: median $364,500, mean $1,566,900

If you compare yourself to the mean, it is easy to conclude that you are behind when you may actually be fairly close to the typical household. That is why most practical planning questions should start with the median.

The mean still has value, though. It helps you understand how unequal wealth is within an age band. When the mean is several times larger than the median, it usually means a smaller group of higher-net-worth households is skewing the headline upward.

How should you compare your net worth fairly?

The most accurate way to compare your net worth is to match your situation to the benchmark as closely as possible.

Use this process:

Calculate your household net worth.
Put yourself in the right age band based on the household reference person.
Compare yourself to the median first.
Adjust your expectations for household size, housing market, and career stage.

Three details matter here:

1. Are you comparing a household to a household?

The SCF is a household survey. A single 29-year-old renter comparing their number to a dual-income 34-year-old homeowner household is not making a perfect apples-to-apples comparison.

If you need a refresher on the formula itself, start with what is net worth.

2. Are you using the right age band?

The data is grouped into broad age ranges, not exact ages. A 35-year-old and a 44-year-old are both in the same bucket. That means the benchmark is best used as a range, not as a precise target for a birthday.

3. Is most of your wealth tied up in home equity?

For many middle-wealth households, home equity makes up a large share of net worth. That can be real progress, but it is not the same thing as having a large cash cushion. It helps to distinguish between total net worth and the assets you could access quickly in a real emergency.

What is a good net worth at 30, 40, 50, or 60?

A good net worth is not one magic number. A more useful definition is a net worth that is positive, rising, and improving relative to your own starting point while moving toward the median for your age band.

Here is a practical way to think about it:

Around age 30: you are still usually in the under-35 group, where the median household net worth is $39,000. For many households, this is still the debt-paydown and emergency-fund-building stage.
Around age 40: the 35 to 44 median is $135,600. At this point, retirement contributions, home equity, and career income growth usually matter more.
Around age 50: the 45 to 54 median is $247,200. This is often a high-earning decade, but family, housing, and college-related costs can also be heavy.
Around age 60: the 55 to 64 median is $364,500. The focus typically shifts from pure accumulation to retirement readiness, debt reduction, and how accessible your assets are.

If your number is below the median, that does not automatically mean you are failing. Career changes, graduate school, divorce, caregiving, high-cost housing markets, and business reinvestment can all distort a snapshot. Trend matters more than ego.

How do you calculate your net worth correctly?

The formula is simple:

Net worth = total assets - total liabilities

Assets usually include:

checking and savings accounts
brokerage accounts
retirement accounts such as a 401(k), IRA, or Roth IRA
home equity and other real estate equity
business equity
cars or other property at realistic resale values
cryptocurrency, if you own it

Liabilities usually include:

mortgage balances
home equity loans or HELOC balances
student loans
car loans
credit card balances
personal loans

If you want a manual way to track this, use a net worth spreadsheet. If you want a broader system for keeping everything organized, how to organize your finances and how to track your net worth in 2026 both help.

What should you do if you're below the median for your age?

The best response is not to obsess over the benchmark. It is to improve the drivers of net worth.

Focus on the moves that matter most:

raise your savings rate
pay off high-interest debt
invest consistently in diversified assets
increase income when possible
avoid lifestyle creep that eats every raise
track progress monthly or quarterly

If you are trying to build momentum, how much should I invest each month can help you translate a broad goal into an actual monthly number.

Why do different websites show different net worth-by-age numbers?

Different sites use different methods, and that changes the answer.

Common reasons the numbers do not match:

one site uses the mean, another uses the median
one uses households, another implies it is about individuals
one uses 2022 dollars, another inflates the numbers to a later year
one uses Federal Reserve SCF data, another uses private platform user data
one groups by age bands, another estimates exact-age benchmarks

That is why the Federal Reserve SCF is the safest source when you want a standard U.S. benchmark. It is not perfect for every household, but it is the most credible national baseline available.

FAQ: Average net worth by age

What is the average net worth for a 35-year-old?

A 35-year-old falls into the 35 to 44 age band in the Federal Reserve data. In that band, median household net worth is $135,600 and mean household net worth is $549,600.

Is this data for individuals or households?

It is for households. The Federal Reserve groups families by the age of the household reference person.

Why is the average so much higher than the median?

Because a relatively small share of high-net-worth households pulls the mean upward. The median is less distorted by that concentration.

Does net worth include retirement accounts?

Yes. Retirement accounts such as 401(k)s, IRAs, and Roth IRAs count as assets.

Does net worth include your home?

Yes. Your home counts as an asset, but your mortgage counts as a liability. What matters is the net difference between them.

Is it normal to have a low or negative net worth in your 20s?

Yes. Student debt, early-career income, and fewer years of investing make low or negative net worth common early on. What matters most is whether the number improves over time.

The bottom line on average net worth by age

The latest official average net worth by age data in 2026 still comes from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. The age-based table has not been replaced yet, even though the Fed's March 19, 2026 Z.1 release shows overall household and nonprofit net worth reached $184.1 trillion in Q4 2025.

For most people, the right way to use the data is simple:

Compare yourself to the median, not just the mean.
Remember that the benchmark is for households, not exact-age individuals.
Focus on the direction of your net worth, not one static snapshot.

If you want to track the number more consistently, read our guide to tracking net worth in 2026.