Net Worth by Age: What's Typical at Each Life Stage

Representative median and average net worth figures by age bracket, and why the gap between the two numbers matters.

"What's a normal net worth for my age" is one of the most common personal-finance questions, but the honest answer involves two different numbers, not one.

Median vs. average — why both are shown

Median net worth is the middle value if every household in an age group were lined up in order — it reflects a "typical" household. Average net worth is the total divided by the number of households, which gets pulled sharply upward by a relatively small number of very high-net-worth households. The gap between the two — often several times larger for average than median — is itself a signal of how concentrated wealth is within that age group.

Why these figures are illustrative, not exact

Published net worth figures come from periodic household surveys, vary by survey year and methodology, and represent national averages that may not reflect your specific region, household size, or circumstances. Use them for general context — "am I roughly in the typical range" — not as a precise target.

Why net worth naturally varies so much by age

Younger households are often still paying off student loans or a recent first mortgage, while older households have had decades of compounding investment growth and, often, a paid-down or paid-off mortgage — both very normal parts of the same long-term trajectory, not a sign of falling behind.

The Net Worth Calculator shows both median and average figures for your age bracket alongside your own calculated net worth.