Are you ahead for your age?
The median 40-year-old American has a net worth of $135,600 — 401(k), home equity and all. Enter your details to see exactly where you rank, then let Richify build your plan to climb.
35–44
$136K
45–54
$247K
55–64
$365K
65–74
$410K
Top 10% · 45–54
$3.8M
Median (p50) · 35-44
$135,600
Above median
Top 10% (p90)
$2,100,000
Wealthy tier
Top 1% (p99)
$6,200,000
SCF + DINA estimate
A net worth of $135,600 at age 40 places you in the 50th percentile for the 35-44 group. The median is $135,600. Source: Federal Reserve SCF 2022 (USD).
$334K to the top 25%.
Richify turns your percentile into a plan — coordinating your 401(k), IRA & brokerage to move you up, and tracking it every month.
Net worth percentiles by age — United States
Full distribution by age band (2022 USD, including home equity & retirement accounts). The 35–44 band is the page's hero benchmark.
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances 2022. P10/P75/P99 derived from SCF cross-tabulation + DINA supplemental data. Last updated June 2026.
Net worth by age, explained
The median, average and top-tier thresholds at each key age — and what drives them.
Average net worth of a 30-year-old American
The median net worth of a 30-year-old American is approximately $80,600 (Federal Reserve SCF 2022). At 30, most Americans are early in their career with student loan debt still being paid down — the gap between the median ($80K) and average ($258K) reflects early wealth concentration among those who inherited assets or started businesses. A 401(k) started at 22 with consistent contributions typically reaches $40K–$80K by age 30. The top 10% threshold for the 30-34 band is $1 million, usually from inherited wealth, tech equity, or a fast-growing business.
Average net worth of a 35-year-old American
The median net worth of a 35-year-old American is approximately $135,600 (SCF 2022, age band 35-44). By 35, 401(k) balances for consistent maxers typically reach $120K–$200K, and those who bought homes 5-8 years ago have meaningful equity. The average ($549,600) is now 4× the median — wealth concentration in this band is driven primarily by those with appreciated real estate or early tech/startup equity. The top 10% threshold ($2.1M) for the 35-44 band usually indicates home equity + maxed retirement accounts + a brokerage portfolio.
Average net worth of a 40-year-old American
The median net worth of a 40-year-old American is approximately $135,600 (SCF 2022, age band 35-44). Age 40 is a critical compounding checkpoint: those who started investing at 25 have seen 15 years of compound growth. A consistently maxed 401(k) from age 25 is roughly $250K–$350K at 40. The top 1% threshold for this band is $6.2M — most often via business ownership, multi-family real estate, or concentrated equity from a startup. For most Americans, 40 is the point where the home becomes the single largest asset.
Average net worth of a 45-year-old American
The median net worth of a 45-year-old American is approximately $247,200 (SCF 2022, age band 45-54). The 45-54 band is where the wealth gap becomes most stark: the average ($975,800) is nearly 4× the median. A 401(k) maxed since age 22 is roughly $500K–$700K by 45. The top 10% threshold ($3.8M) marks well-funded retirement — enough to retire now at a comfortable level even without Social Security. Age 50 catch-up contributions ($7,500 extra/year to 401k) become available, a powerful late-career lever.
Average net worth of a 50-year-old American
The median net worth of a 50-year-old American is approximately $247,200 (SCF 2022, age band 45-54). Age 50 is peak debt-paydown for many: mortgages originated in the early 30s are now 15-20 years in and home equity is often the largest single asset. Peak earning years also typically land here. The top 10% threshold ($3.8M) represents the FatFIRE number — enough to support $152,000/year at a 4% safe withdrawal rate. Age-50 catch-up contributions to 401(k) and IRA add $8,500/year in tax-advantaged savings room.
Average net worth of a 55-year-old American
The median net worth of a 55-year-old American is approximately $364,500 (SCF 2022, age band 55-64). Social Security claiming strategy becomes a key planning lever at 55 — delaying from 62 to 70 increases monthly benefits by roughly 77%, making the break-even age about 80. Median 401(k) + IRA balance for consistent savers in this band is roughly $200K–$300K. The top 10% threshold ($5.8M) indicates a position where Social Security is optional income rather than a retirement necessity. Rule of 55 (penalty-free 401k withdrawals) also activates this year.
Average net worth of a 60-year-old American
The median net worth of a 60-year-old American is approximately $364,500 (SCF 2022, age band 55-64). By 60, most Americans are within 5 years of planned retirement. The 90th percentile ($5.8M) represents the threshold for retiring immediately on investment income. Required Minimum Distributions begin at age 73, giving 60-year-olds a 13-year window for Roth conversions at lower tax rates — one of the most powerful wealth-building moves in this decade. Medicare eligibility at 65 removes the largest pre-retirement insurance cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average net worth in America by age?+
Average (mean) net worth by age in the US (Federal Reserve SCF 2022): under 35 $183K; 35-44 $549K; 45-54 $975K; 55-64 $1.57M; 65-74 $1.79M; 75+ $1.62M. The mean is heavily skewed by the ultra-wealthy — the median is a far better benchmark for most households.
What is the median net worth in America by age?+
Median net worth by age in the US (Federal Reserve SCF 2022): under 25 ~$10K; 25-29 $30K; 30-34 $80K; 35-44 $135K; 45-54 $247K; 55-64 $364K; 65-74 $409K; 75+ $335K. Median means 50% of households at that age have less. Net worth peaks in the 65-74 bracket before declining as retirees draw down assets.
What is a good net worth for my age in America?+
A reasonable benchmark is the median for your age bracket: 30-34 $80K; 35-44 $135K; 45-54 $247K; 55-64 $364K. To beat the average you need to clear the mean, which is harder because it is pulled up by the top 10%. For retirement security, a better target is the 75th percentile for your age: 35-44 $470K; 45-54 $780K; 55-64 $1.1M — clearing p75 puts you on track for self-funded retirement without full Social Security dependency.
What is the top 10% net worth by age in the US?+
The 90th percentile (top 10%) net worth thresholds by age (SCF 2022): under 35 ~$500K; 35-44 $2.1M; 45-54 $3.8M; 55-64 $5.8M; 65-74 $6.5M. Crossing the top-10% line at any age typically requires home equity in a HCOL city, a maxed retirement portfolio, or business ownership. These thresholds rise faster than inflation because asset prices grow faster than wage income.
What is the top 1% net worth by age in the US?+
Top 1% (99th percentile) thresholds by age (SCF 2022 + DINA supplemental): 30-34 ~$3.2M; 35-44 ~$6.2M; 45-54 ~$12.5M; 55-64 ~$19M; 65-74 ~$21M. The gap between p90 and p99 widens dramatically with age — by 65-74, the 99th percentile is roughly 3.2× the 90th percentile, reflecting decades of compounding on an already large base.
What counts towards net worth in America?+
Net worth = total assets minus total liabilities. Assets include: home value, 401(k), IRA, brokerage accounts, savings, vehicles, business interests, life insurance cash value. Liabilities include: mortgage balance, student loans, credit card debt, auto loans, personal loans. Your 401(k) balance and home equity are typically the two largest components for Americans in the 35-65 age range.
Why is the average net worth so much higher than the median?+
Right-skewed distribution — a small number of extremely wealthy households pull the mean far above where most people sit. At age 65-74: 9 households at $350K average but one at $20M pushes the 'average' to $2.2M. The SCF consistently shows the mean is 3.5–4× the median at most age bands. For personal benchmarking, always use the median — fewer than 20% of Americans ever reach the average net worth for their age.
How is US net worth data collected?+
The Federal Reserve conducts the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) every three years. The 2022 SCF surveyed over 6,000 households, oversampling wealthy households to get accurate top-of-distribution estimates. It is the most comprehensive US household wealth survey, covering all asset classes and liabilities in detail. The next SCF is expected in 2025. Data is published at federalreserve.gov.
Related US tools
Retirement Planning Hub →
Readiness score, 4% rule, Social Security claiming, SECURE 2.0 RMD rules — built around your net-worth trajectory.
Financial Wellbeing Score →
Free CFPB-aligned 60-second assessment. Score 0-100 against the US median of 54.
What-If Scenarios →
Recession, rate hike, higher savings — stress-test how your net worth holds up.
Net Worth Calculator USA →
Enter all assets and liabilities — 401(k), home, stocks, student loans — for your full USD figure.
FIRE Calculator USA →
When can you retire early? Lean / Regular / Fat FIRE thresholds with 4% SWR and Social Security offset.
401(k) Calculator →
Project your 401(k) balance to retirement with employer match and contribution limits.
Roth vs Traditional IRA →
Which wins at your income? Compare after-tax outcomes across 30-year horizons.
Coast FIRE Calculator →
Have you saved enough that compounding alone reaches your number? Find your coast point.
See how you compare every month.
Add your 401(k), IRA, home equity and investments once — Richify keeps your US net-worth percentile up to date as markets move. Free on iOS and Android.
Get Richify freeData source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances 2022. For education only — not financial advice. © 2026 Richify.
