Average Net Worth by Age plus Median, Top 1%, and All Percentiles (2024)

Below are estimated United States net worth brackets by age in 2023.It's the newest data until 2026.

You'll also find the average, median, and top 1% net worth for selected age groups.

Table of Contents show ▼

Net Worth Benchmarks by Age in 2023

Elsewhere, we looked at average household net worth.

While overall net worth is a useful benchmark, time in a career or job makes a huge difference to wealth. By adjusting net worth statistics for age groups – a decent proxy for experience and time in career – we can work around the effects of the United States's demographics.

Note: This data comes from the Federal Reserve's 2022 SCF. It is comprised of interviews mainly from 2022, with 25% conducted in 2023.

What was the median net worth by age?

In 2023, overall median household net worth was $192,084 (up from $121,411 in 2020).

AgeMedian Net Worth
18-24$10,222
25-29$31,470
30-34$88,631
35-39$138,588
40-44$134,382
45-49$213,586
50-54$266,140
55-59$321,074
60-64$392,860
65-69$393,480
70-74$438,700
75-79$338,180
80+$327,200

What was the average net worth by age?

The overall average household net worth in 2023 was $1,059,470, well up from 2020's $746,821.

AgeAverage Net Worth
18-24$112,104
25-29$120,183
30-34$258,075
35-39$501,295
40-44$590,710
45-49$781,936
50-54$1,132,497
55-59$1,441,987
60-64$1,675,294
65-69$1,836,884
70-74$1,714,085
75-79$1,629,275
80+$1,611,984

What is the top 1% household net worth by age?

Warning: please be skeptical; read this chart as "the top 1% is around this amount". A longer discussion is below.

To be top 1% in 2023, a household needed a net worth of $13,666,778. $11,099,166 was the 1% threshold in 2020.

AgeTop 1% Net Worth
18-24$653,224
25-29$2,121,910
30-34$2,636,882
35-39$4,741,320
40-44$7,835,420
45-49$8,701,500
50-54$13,231,940
55-59$15,371,684
60-64$17,869,960
65-69$22,102,660
70-74$18,761,580
75-79$19,868,894
80+$16,229,800

Household Net Worth Percentiles by Age for the United States in 2023

Below is every household net worth percentile in 2020 for selected percentiles and age groups. It's dense, I know – there is a more convenient presentation (with every percentile!) in the net worth by age calculator.

Net Worth By Age Brackets

Here are the net worth brackets by age in 2023 including the value of a primary residence.

AgeAverageMedian25%75%90%Top 1%
18-24$112,104$10,222$88$33,898$184,516$653,224
25-29$120,183$31,470$3,784$130,606$296,830$2,121,910
30-34$258,075$88,631$11,016$186,140$538,750$2,636,882
35-39$501,295$138,588$16,548$389,432$864,340$4,741,320
40-44$590,710$134,382$23,812$436,892$1,182,580$7,835,420
45-49$781,936$213,586$47,668$680,298$1,428,714$8,701,500
50-54$1,132,497$266,140$54,414$913,012$2,576,540$13,231,940
55-59$1,441,987$321,074$84,977$1,137,318$2,672,160$15,371,684
60-64$1,675,294$392,860$80,372$1,131,122$3,042,280$17,869,960
65-69$1,836,884$393,480$68,972$1,154,552$2,961,060$22,102,660
70-74$1,714,085$438,700$124,757$1,234,946$2,999,396$18,761,580
75-79$1,629,275$338,180$89,504$991,520$2,914,188$19,868,894
80+$1,611,984$327,200$95,230$944,334$2,540,500$16,229,800

Net Worth By Age Brackets (No House)

I know some people prefer this measure, so here are the net worth brackets by age in 2023 ignoring the value of a primary residence:

AgeAverageMedian25%75%90%Top 1%
18-24$83,365$9,774$74$22,616$74,184$553,224
25-29$84,699$19,270$1,218$71,680$191,604$1,877,120
30-34$182,198$36,178$2,530$100,248$291,262$2,403,902
35-39$380,972$43,416$8,070$208,930$645,320$4,556,660
40-44$436,408$57,668$8,699$245,586$818,830$6,702,740
45-49$575,097$92,370$15,144$408,002$1,000,826$7,661,420
50-54$861,235$94,923$13,406$531,484$1,971,490$11,897,166
55-59$1,148,392$131,460$15,108$709,824$2,013,360$14,054,100
60-64$1,364,736$143,640$12,202$751,586$2,489,008$15,620,874
65-69$1,512,595$132,290$11,780$784,100$2,302,160$18,992,040
70-74$1,380,172$237,692$28,440$770,944$2,456,520$16,459,620
75-79$1,308,408$112,106$12,818$527,860$2,384,808$17,971,150
80+$1,284,384$88,049$17,284$524,526$1,860,666$15,590,600

Note: you should include a house in your net worth – it has real value, and at minimum offsets rent you'd be paying.

Methodology on 2023 United States Household Income Brackets

Data is sourced from the Federal Reserve's 2022 SCF, released October 2023. Find the Federal Reserve's summary reports here, and the data descriptions here.

Is this household net worth data?

This is not technically household data but primary economic unit data.

They are very close, but:

..."the PEU consists of an economically dominant single individual or couple (married or living as partners) in a household and all other individuals in the household who are financially interdependent with that individual or couple. For example, in the case of a household composed of a married couple who own their home, a minor child, a dependent adult child, and a financially independent parent of one of the members of the couple, the PEU would be the couple and the two children. Summary information is collected at the end of the interview for all household members who are not included in the PEU. The only variables collected separately for the respondent and the spouse or partner of the respondent are those concerning employment, pension, and demographic characteristics. The great majority of the time, the PEU and the household are identical."

Federal Reserve SCF Data Codebook, 2022

How many PEU samples are in 2023 wealth data by age?

  • 2023: 4,602 surveys with 7 redactions. Estimated PEUs of 131,306,390
  • 2020: 5,783 surveys with 6 redactions. Estimated PEUs of 128,642,430.

Samples and Estimates by Age

Broken down by age, here are the number of data points in the set (and the number of households/PEUs they map onto):

AgeSamplesEstimated PEUs
18-241115,919,125
25-292117,983,895
30-3429112,401,730
35-3935210,625,525
40-4441111,656,460
45-493969,908,830
50-5442411,635,075
55-5949011,546,170
60-6453612,673,860
65-6949211,487,525
70-743749,684,020
75-792567,403,470
80+2518,380,695

To head off the inevitable questions about individual ages, they don't particularly make sense with this data set. There just aren't that many data points to go around – and net worth is not a normal distribution (or well-behaved at all, really).

There are only rules of thumb here: I'd prefer to use 3 samples per percentile.

For good survey design oversampling the poorly-behaved top (like in the SCF!), we can push it a bit – and I do in 18-24, 25-29, 75-79, 80+ age groups. But, please, you need to be skeptical. Particularly of the top 2-3%, in age groups like 18-24 and 25-29.

Does net worth include the capitalized value of defined benefit plans?

It's an important question – and no, it does not. For a longer discussion please see the average net worth article.

Basically, there is no secondary market for selling a defined benefit plan. I could build some sort of an overlay into the tools, but it's not a 'real' number (although recent scholarship is pretty good).

Are the younger age groups accurate?

Yes, with caveats – read this section to the end. Remember, per the net worth research, you're looking at Primary Economic Units not households.

The SCF isn't necessarily good at capturing the debt of adult children not dependent on a parent's assets in a PEU (see this paper for more, 4.2 Liabilities). For an obvious example, the SCF's sample doesn't include adults in institutional settings... or dormitories.

So: as you read, note that the younger households you see – especially in the 18-24 year old age group – are financially independent or emancipated households.

Average Net Worth by Age plus Median, Top 1%, and All Percentiles (2)

PK

PK started DQYDJ in 2009 to research and discuss finance and investing and help answer financial questions. He's expanded DQYDJ to build visualizations, calculators, and interactive tools.

PK lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids, and dog.

Average Net Worth by Age plus Median, Top 1%, and All Percentiles (2024)

FAQs

What is the top 1% of net worth by age? ›

What is the top 1% household net worth by age?
AgeTop 1% Net Worth
25-29$2,121,910
30-34$2,636,882
35-39$4,741,320
40-44$7,835,420
9 more rows

What is the 1% net worth percentile? ›

In the U.S., it may take you $5.81 million to be in the top 1%, but it takes a minimum net worth of $30 million to be considered among the ultra-high net worth crowd. As of the end of 2023, this ultra-high net worth population is on the rise, reaching 626,000 globally, up from just over 600,000 a year earlier.

How much money do you need to be in the top 1% for each age? ›

How Does Income Change with Age?
Age RangeTop 10%Top 1%
20-24$64,855$129,709
25-29$142,680$303,736
30-34$188,079$468,035
35-39$230,234$1,048,484
8 more rows
Oct 20, 2023

What is the average net worth of the 1%? ›

Louis Fed indicating there were 131.4 million American households as of 2023. As of the second quarter 2023, the average American household had wealth of $1.09 million. The average wealth of households in the top 1 percent was about $33.4 million.

What net worth is considered wealthy? ›

According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans perceive an average net worth of $2.2 million as wealthy​​​​. Knight Frank's research indicates that a net worth of $4.4 million is required to be in the top 1% in America, a figure much higher than in countries like Japan, the U.K. and Australia​​.

What net worth puts you in the top 1 percent in the world? ›

To break into the hallowed 1%, an American needs $5.8 million, up from last year's $5.1 million (inflation comes for us all). That places the U.S. fourth globally in terms of assets needed to break ahead of 99% of the population.

What net worth is considered upper middle class? ›

Some sources define the upper middle class as anyone making a lot of money but haven't crossed the threshold to become truly wealthy. These individuals often have a net worth of at least $500,000 to $2 million.

How much money is considered middle class? ›

By the Census data, it means that if you earn between $50,000 and $150,000 a year, you are considered middle class. It's a pretty straightforward answer, but it isn't particularly helpful if you're trying to climb up out of a lower income bracket into the middle class.

What is top 5 percent net worth in us? ›

Top 2% wealth: The top 2% of Americans have a net worth of about $2.472 million, aligning closely with the surveyed perception of wealth. Top 5% wealth: The next tier, the top 5%, has a net worth of around $1.03 million. Top 10% wealth: The top 10% of the population has a net worth of approximately $854,900.

What is a good net worth by age USA? ›

Average net worth by age
Age by decadeAverage net worthMedian net worth
20s$99,272$6,980
30s$277,788$34,691
40s$713,796$126,881
50s$1,310,775$292,085
4 more rows

What is the net worth of the top 1% in 2024? ›

To hold a top 1% net worth in America, according to Knight Frank, a person in 2024 must have a net worth of at least $5.8 million. This amount is at least $7.2 million lower than what the Federal Reserve believes is required to be in the top 1% net worth in America.

How many people have $3,000,000 in savings in usa? ›

1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.

What is the average American salary? ›

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average U.S. annual salary in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384. This is up 5.4% from the same time period in 2022 when the average American was making $56,316 per year. Average weekly earnings reached $1,142, while the average American made $4,949 per month in Q4 of 2023.

What is the net worth of the top 1% at age 60? ›

The estate tax exemption amount limit is currently $13.6 million per person in 2024. My guide uses a top one percent income of $650,000 and my ideal income multiplier by age to calculate a top one percent net worth by age. By around 60, a top net worth for this age hits $13,000,000.

Does net worth include home? ›

Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).

At what age should your net worth be 1 million? ›

Average Net Worth by Age

From there, average net worth steadily rises within each age bracket. Between 35 to 44, the average net worth is $549,600, while between 45 and 54, that number increases to $975,800. Average net worth surges above the $1 million mark between 55 to 64, reaching $1,566,900.

What net worth is top 5 percent? ›

Top 2% wealth: The top 2% of Americans have a net worth of about $2.472 million, aligning closely with the surveyed perception of wealth. Top 5% wealth: The next tier, the top 5%, has a net worth of around $1.03 million. Top 10% wealth: The top 10% of the population has a net worth of approximately $854,900.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6493

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.