Average Net Worth by Age in America: 2026 Data
A typical American household had a median net worth of $192,900 in 2022, rising from $39,000 for households under 35 to $409,900 for households ages 65 to 74. These are the latest figures from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, which runs every three years. This 2026 guide uses those figures as its foundation.
AT A GLANCE
Key Takeaways
Net worth in these tables means total assets minus total debt. It includes the value of a home and retirement savings. Then, it subtracts debts such as a mortgage. The numbers below provide a useful benchmark for where your household stands and how wealth changes across life stages.
- Households ages 65 to 74 had a median net worth of $409,900 in 2022, the highest of any age group.
- Median household net worth rose 37 percent from 2019 to 2022, the largest three-year increase recorded in the survey.
- Households with a college degree had a median net worth of $464,600, more than 12 times the $38,100 median for households without a high school diploma.
- Households in the top 10% of the wealth distribution had a median net worth of $3,794,600 in 2022, up from $3,012,500 in 2019.
Net Worth by Age
Net worth tends to rise through most of a working career before leveling off in retirement. A paid-off home can boost wealth, while a mortgage can keep it lower. The average also sits much higher than the median among older households because a small number of wealthy households pull the average up. The table below shows how net worth breaks down by age.
- Median net worth nearly triples between ages 35 to 44 and 65 to 74, rising from $135,600 to $409,900.
- The median falls after age 75, while the average remains high, largely because fewer wealthy households pull the average upward.
Net Worth Growth, 2019–2022
Every age group increased its net worth between 2019 and 2022, but gains varied by age. Younger households saw the biggest percentage increases, while older households added more wealth in dollar terms. The data below shows how median and average net worth changed for each age group.
- Median net worth more than doubled for households under 35, the largest percentage gain of any age group between the two surveys.
- Average net worth grew fastest among households 75 and older, even though their median net worth grew the least. That suggests wealth gains were concentrated among a smaller share of households in that age group.
Net Worth by Education Level
Education level strongly connects to net worth, partly because education can lead to higher lifetime earnings and higher homeownership rates. The Federal Reserve groups households by their highest level of education, from no high school diploma through a college degree. The gap between these groups shows how income differences can add up over a career. This table highlights how net worth varies by education level.
- A household with a college degree has more than 12 times the median net worth of a household without a high school diploma.
- The jump in median net worth from some college to a college degree is much larger than the jumps between the other education levels.
Net Worth by Percentile Standing
Median and average net worth show the middle of the range and the effect of very wealthy households. Percentile bands give another way to see where households fall across the wealth distribution. Each band ranks households by net worth, from the bottom quarter to the top 10%. The table below has the median net worth for each group.
- Households in the bottom quarter had a median net worth of just $3,500 in 2022. The average was -$5,300 because some households owed more than they owned.
- The jump from the 75th-to-89.9th percentile group to the top 10% is larger than the combined increases across the three lower groups.
Net Worth by Housing Status
Homeownership marks another large difference in household wealth. Families that owned their homes had a much higher median net worth than families listed as renters or other. The gap also shows how much housing can contribute to a household’s overall balance sheet. The table below shows median and average net worth by housing status.
- The median net worth for homeowners was about 38 times that of renters or other households.
- The median net housing value for homeowners rose from $139,100 in 2019 to $201,000 in 2022 as home values increased while housing debt stayed relatively flat.