What the Federal Reserve data shows
Every three years the Federal Reserve surveys thousands of American families about their income, assets and debts. The 2025 survey, released in October 2026, found a median family net worth of $215,900 across all ages, with a clear rise through working life: about $33,000 for families headed by someone under 35, $155,600 for 35 to 44, $253,700 for 45 to 54, $411,900 for 55 to 64, $431,300 for 65 to 74 and $504,900 for 75 and over.
The median is the family in the exact middle, with half having more and half less. Averages are far higher, over $1.2 million across all families, because a small number of very wealthy households pull the average up. To place you more precisely, we calculated percentiles for each age group from the Fed's public survey data. For families aged 35 to 44, for example, the 75th percentile is about $468,000, the top 10% starts near $1.23 million and the top 1% near $8.3 million.
Reading your result
Net worth includes home equity, retirement accounts and the value of vehicles minus all debts, including mortgages, student loans and credit cards. Younger families often have low or negative net worth because of student loans and little time to save, which is normal. What matters most is the direction: rising net worth year after year means your plan is working. The net worth milestones calculator shows how long the next step will take.
Common questions
What is the median net worth at 35?
Families headed by someone aged 35 to 44 had a median net worth of $155,600 in the Federal Reserve's 2025 survey.
Does net worth include my house?
Yes. Home equity, the value minus the mortgage, counts, as do retirement accounts.
Why is the average so much higher than the median?
A small number of very wealthy families raise the average. The median shows the typical family.
What net worth is top 10% at 40?
For families aged 35 to 44, the top 10% starts at roughly $1.23 million in the 2025 survey.
Sources
This calculator gives estimates for planning. Real returns, rates and prices change, so treat the result as a guide rather than a promise. Read how we build and check our calculators.