What Is the Median Net Worth for My Age?
Type "average net worth by age" into a search bar and you'll get numbers that don't match reality for almost anyone — because those figures are usually the mean, dragged sharply upward by a small number of very wealthy households. The calculator above uses your exact birth date to estimate where you fall against the median — the household squarely in the middle of the pack — which is the far more honest benchmark.
This page walks through what that median number actually means, why it climbs so steeply through your 30s, 40s, and 50s, and why a low or even negative net worth in your 20s is completely normal rather than a red flag.
The short version: net worth is just what you own minus what you owe, and the typical American household builds most of theirs slowly, through paying down a mortgage and letting retirement savings compound.
What the median really tells you
The word "median" matters more than it sounds like it should. Line up every household your age from poorest to richest, and the median is whoever's standing in the exact middle — not the mathematical average. Averages get pulled upward by a relative few multimillionaire households, so the commonly-quoted "average net worth" figure ends up several times higher than what a typical family actually has. The median doesn't get distorted that way, which is why it's the number worth trusting.
You can see the shape of a normal financial life in the data itself: median net worth is roughly $71,100 at age 30, more than triples to about $246,700 by 50, and keeps climbing toward retirement. That's not luck — it's home equity building and retirement accounts compounding year after year.
Also worth remembering: net worth is assets minus debts, so it can legitimately sit near zero or below it, especially early on, without meaning anything has gone wrong.
How the calculator works
The by-age figures come from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the most authoritative source on American household wealth. Roughly every three years, the Fed surveys thousands of U.S. households and publishes median net worth broken out by age bracket (under 35, 35–44, 45–54, and so on).
Because those brackets span several years each, the calculator interpolates between them to estimate a figure for your exact age rather than just handing you the number for your whole bracket. That smooths out the jumps you'd otherwise see at each bracket boundary, but it's still an estimate built on top of periodic survey data, not a live measurement of every household in the country.
Two things to keep in mind: the SCF measures households, not individuals, and it's U.S.-only. If you share finances with a spouse or partner, the number reflects your combined household position.
Median US household net worth by age
| Age | Median net worth |
|---|---|
| 18 | $5,000 |
| 25 | $39,000 |
| 30 | $71,100 |
| 40 | $135,300 |
| 50 | $246,700 |
| 60 | $364,300 |
| 70 | $410,000 |
| 80 | $334,700 |
Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances medians, interpolated between age brackets. Household-level, US-only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median net worth at age 30?
Roughly $71,100, based on Federal Reserve data interpolated to that exact age. This includes home equity, retirement savings, and other assets minus any debt. It's a wide range in practice — some 30-year-olds are deep in student loans, others already own a home outright — but $71,100 marks the middle of that distribution.
What is the median net worth at age 50?
About $246,700. That's more than triple the age-30 figure, reflecting two extra decades of mortgage paydown and retirement contributions compounding. Age 50 typically sits mid-climb toward the peak net worth years, which land closer to retirement age in the Fed's data.
Why is average net worth so much higher than median net worth?
Because a small number of extremely wealthy households pull the mathematical average way up, while the median — the household exactly in the middle — doesn't budge from a few outliers. The Federal Reserve's own survey data consistently shows average net worth running several times higher than the median at every age, which is why median is the more honest benchmark for a typical household.
What counts as net worth?
Net worth is total assets minus total liabilities. Assets include home equity, retirement accounts (401(k), IRA), savings and checking balances, investments, and vehicles. Liabilities include mortgage balances, student loans, credit card debt, and auto loans. Whatever's left after subtracting debts from what you own is your net worth.
Is it normal to have negative net worth in your 20s?
Yes, and it's extremely common. Student loan debt often exceeds a young household's savings and home equity, which are usually minimal or nonexistent this early on. Negative or near-zero net worth in your 20s isn't a sign of financial trouble — it's the typical starting point before income, savings, and paid-down debt shift the balance the other way.
When does net worth peak?
Median household net worth generally peaks around the traditional retirement years, roughly ages 65 to 74, per Fed data. By that point, mortgages are often paid off and retirement accounts have compounded for decades. After that, net worth typically declines gradually as retirees draw down savings to cover living expenses.
What are the limitations of this data?
The Survey of Consumer Finances is conducted roughly every three years, so figures can lag current conditions somewhat, especially after fast-moving markets. It reports at the household level (not per person), covers the U.S. only, and publishes age brackets rather than single-year figures — this calculator interpolates between brackets to approximate your exact age, which smooths but doesn't eliminate that uncertainty.
Sources
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