Average Net Worth by Age in 2026: Are You on Track?

Knowing where you stand financially is the first step to knowing where you need to go. Net worth data by age provides context — though what matters most is whether you're on track for your own goals.

What Is Net Worth?

Net worth = Total assets − Total liabilities

Assets: Cash, investment accounts, retirement accounts, home equity, vehicles (if paid off) Liabilities: Mortgage balance, student loans, car loans, credit card debt, personal loans

Average vs Median Net Worth: Why Median Matters More

The average is heavily skewed by billionaires. The median (the middle value) better represents where most people actually are.

Net worth by age (2026 estimates, US households):

The average for 35–44 year olds is $436,000, but the median is $92,000. The average is pulled up by a small number of very wealthy households.

The Better Benchmark: The Fidelity Rule

Fidelity recommends saving a multiple of your salary by each age:

Example: If you earn $70,000 at age 40, you should have $210,000 in retirement savings.

This applies specifically to retirement savings — not total net worth (which includes home equity).

If You're Behind: The Math of Catching Up

Behind on these benchmarks? You're not alone — 56% of Americans are behind on retirement savings. The path forward:

At 35, $30,000 saved instead of $140,000 ($70k salary):

• Gap: $110,000
• Time to 65: 30 years
• Extra monthly investment needed to close gap: ~$225/month (at 7%)

That's not catastrophic — but it requires starting now.

Building Net Worth by Decade

Your 20s: Foundation

• Build emergency fund ($5,000–$15,000)
• Avoid lifestyle inflation
• Get employer 401(k) match
• Open Roth IRA; start small but start
• Pay off high-interest debt

Your 30s: Acceleration

• Max Roth IRA ($7,000/year)
• Increase 401(k) to 15% of income
• Buy a home if it makes sense for your situation
• Build toward 2–3× salary saved by 40

Your 40s: Peak earning years

• Max all tax-advantaged accounts
• Pay down mortgage aggressively (or not — depends on rate)
• Taxable brokerage if accounts are maxed
• Target 4–5× salary saved by 50

Your 50s: Catch-up contributions

• 401(k) catch-up: +$7,500/year
• IRA catch-up: +$1,000/year
• Evaluate Social Security strategy
• Consider long-term care insurance (cheapest in 50s)

Your 60s: Pre-retirement

• Finalize retirement income plan
• Medicare planning (age 65)
• Social Security optimization (delay to 70 for max benefit)

What Home Equity Changes

For homeowners, home equity is often 30–50% of net worth. It's illiquid — you can't spend it without selling or borrowing. When evaluating retirement readiness, focus on liquid/investable assets, not total net worth.

A household with $800,000 total net worth but $600,000 in home equity has only $200,000 in liquid assets — a very different retirement picture.

The Bottom Line

• Median net worth at most ages is much lower than you'd expect
• The Fidelity salary multiple is a better retirement benchmark than age-based averages
• Home equity counts toward net worth but not retirement income
• Behind on benchmarks? Start now — time is the most powerful factor
• Focus on increasing the gap between income and spending, and investing the difference

Use our Retirement Calculator to find out if your current savings rate puts you on track for your target retirement age and income.