Data · Ireland · HFCS 2021
Average net worth by age in Ireland
Irish households have a median net wealth of €193,700 (about $209,196) — among the highest in the euro area, well above the euro-area median of €123,500. But it is very unevenly held across generations. All figures are from the European Central Bank's Household Finance and Consumption Survey, Wave 2021.
Median & mean net wealth by age
| Age of reference person | Median (EUR) | ≈ USD | Mean (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16–34 | €23,800 | $25,704 | €120,000 |
| 35–44 | €93,300 | $100,764 | €228,800 |
| 45–54 | €230,000 | $248,400 | €434,700 |
| 55–64 | €336,800 | $363,744 | €551,700 |
| 65–74 | €296,700 | $320,436 | €465,800 |
| 75+ | €263,300 | $284,364 | €408,700 |
| All households | €193,700 | $209,196 | €303,500 |
Source: ECB Household Finance and Consumption Survey, Wave 2021 (net wealth by age of the reference person, Ireland). USD indicative at €1 ≈ $1.08.
A high median — and a wide generational gap
Irish net wealth climbs steeply from €23,800 for under-35s to a peak of €336,800 for 55–64s — one of the widest young-to-peak gaps in the euro area. The driver is housing. Irish house prices collapsed in the 2008 crash and then recovered strongly, so long-standing homeowners now hold substantial equity, while high prices and rents make it hard for younger households to buy in the first place. Because a home is the main source of household wealth, that ownership divide shows up as a generational one: older Irish households are among the wealthiest in Europe, younger ones among the thinnest. The mean (€303,500) runs about 1.6× the median.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average net worth by age in Ireland?
- Median household net wealth by age of the reference person (ECB HFCS 2021): 16–34 €23,800; 35–44 €93,300; 45–54 €230,000; 55–64 €336,800; 65–74 €296,700; 75+ €263,300. Wealth peaks in the 55–64 band and stays high in retirement.
- What is the median net worth in Ireland?
- The overall median Irish household net wealth is €193,700 (ECB HFCS 2021) — among the highest in the euro area and well above the euro-area median of €123,500. The mean is €303,500, about 1.6× the median.
- Why is Irish net worth so high?
- High house prices and high homeownership among older cohorts. A primary residence is the biggest wealth-building asset for most households, and Irish house prices — after collapsing in the 2008 crash — had recovered strongly by 2021, lifting the equity of long-standing owners. Households in their 50s and 60s, who bought before or long after the crash, hold the most.
- Why do young people in Ireland have so little?
- Under-35 households have a median net wealth of just €23,800 — versus €336,800 for the 55–64 peak. The gap reflects Ireland's acute housing affordability pressure: high prices and rents make it hard for younger people to buy, so they build home equity — the main source of household wealth — much later than previous generations did.
- Median or mean — which should I use?
- The median (€193,700) is the better benchmark for a "typical" Irish household; half hold less. The mean (€303,500) is about 1.6× the median because a smaller number of very wealthy households pull the average up.
Source: European Central Bank — Household Finance and Consumption Survey, Wave 2021 (Statistical Tables, July 2023). Figures are median and mean household net wealth by age of the reference person, Ireland. The HFCS publishes median and mean by age, not a by-age percentile breakdown. Educational data only — not financial advice.
