Average Net Worth by Age in 2026: What the Real Numbers Show
The full Federal Reserve breakdown of median and mean net worth at every age, and why the number most people cite is the wrong one to look at.
Net Worth Percentile Calculator by Age
See exactly where your net worth ranks — for your age group and across all U.S. households.
Based on Federal Reserve 2022 Survey of Consumer FinancesNet worth landscape for
Household net worth by percentile within your age group. Source: Federal Reserve 2022 SCF.
Editorial note: This tool is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Percentile estimates are modeled from published survey data and are approximate, especially at the extremes of the distribution. Your individual situation depends on income, location, and life stage. Consult a qualified financial professional before making financial decisions.
What a net worth percentile actually tells you
Most "average net worth" figures are close to useless, because the average (mean) is dragged upward by a small number of extremely wealthy households. A percentile is a cleaner benchmark: it tells you what share of households have less net worth than you do. Land at the 70th percentile and you have more wealth than 70% of comparable households, and less than the top 30%.
This calculator gives you two numbers. The first compares you only to households in your own age group, which is the fairer comparison — a 30-year-old and a 60-year-old are not on the same part of the wealth-building curve. The second compares you to all U.S. households regardless of age, which is the number people usually mean when they ask "am I in the top 10%?"
How the calculator works
You enter your age and net worth (total assets minus total debts). The tool maps your age to the matching age bracket from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, then finds where your net worth falls within that bracket's distribution and across the full national distribution. Percentiles between the published data points are interpolated, so you get a specific number rather than just a range.
If you don't know your net worth off the top of your head, use the built-in mini-calculator: add up your assets (cash, investments and retirement accounts, home and other real estate, vehicles) and subtract your liabilities (mortgage, student loans, credit cards, auto loans, and any other debt). For a deeper walk-through, see our guide on how to calculate your net worth.
Net worth by age group (2022, U.S. households)
These are the median (50th percentile) and mean (average) net worth figures for each age group. The gap between the two columns is a direct measure of how skewed wealth is within each group.
| Age group | Median net worth | Mean net worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,000 |
| 35–44 | $135,600 | $549,000 |
| 45–54 | $247,200 | $975,800 |
| 55–64 | $364,500 | $1,566,900 |
| 65–74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 |
| 75+ | $335,600 | $1,624,100 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 (official age-group medians and means). Figures in 2022 dollars. For a full breakdown and what it means decade by decade, read Average Net Worth by Age in 2026.
What net worth puts you in the top 10% and top 1%?
Across all U.S. households, roughly $1.9 million puts you at about the 90th percentile, and the top 1% begins near $11.6 million. But those thresholds are very different inside a single age group — the top 10% for someone under 35 is a fraction of the top 10% for someone in their late fifties. That's exactly why the age-adjusted number this tool gives you is the more honest measure of how you're doing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a net worth percentile?
It's the share of households that have less net worth than you. At the 75th percentile for your age, you have more than 75% of your peers and less than the top 25%. It's a more meaningful benchmark than the average, which a handful of very wealthy households pull far above what a typical household holds.
What net worth puts you in the top 10% in the United States?
About $1.9 million places you near the 90th percentile of all U.S. households, per the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. The threshold is lower for younger age groups and higher during peak earning and saving years.
What net worth puts you in the top 1%?
Roughly $11.6 million for all U.S. households combined. Within a single age group the top 1% threshold ranges from a few hundred thousand dollars for the youngest adults to well over $15 million for households in their fifties and sixties.
Is this data current?
It uses the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, released in October 2023 — the most recent edition available. The SCF is conducted every three years, so it is the standard source economists cite for household wealth. Figures are stated in 2022 dollars.
Methodology & sources. Age-bracket percentile breakpoints (25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and top 1%) are derived from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. Official age-group medians and means come directly from the Federal Reserve's SCF summary tables. Percentiles between published breakpoints are estimated by interpolation; results below the 25th percentile and above the 90th percentile are approximate. All figures are household-level and in 2022 dollars.