# Net Worth By Age Calculator

> Compare your net worth to American median and averages by age bracket using Federal Reserve data

**Category:** Finance
**Keywords:** net worth, age, wealth, percentile, median, federal reserve, financial comparison, net worth by age
**URL:** https://complete.tools/net-worth-by-age

## What is net worth?

Net worth is the total value of everything you own minus everything you owe:

**Assets (what you own):**
- Home equity (market value minus remaining mortgage)
- Checking and savings accounts
- Investment accounts (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs)
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, Roth IRA, pension value)
- Business equity
- Vehicles (current value)
- Other valuable property

**Liabilities (what you owe):**
- Mortgage balance
- Auto loans
- Student loans
- Credit card debt
- Other loans

Net worth can be negative — especially for young people with student loans who haven't yet had time to build assets. That's completely normal.

## About the data

All data comes from the **2022 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF)**, a triennial survey of U.S. family finances considered the most authoritative source on American household wealth.

**Why is the average so much higher than the median?**

Wealth distribution in the U.S. is extremely skewed. A relatively small number of billionaires and ultra-high-net-worth households pull the average (mean) dramatically upward. The median is more representative of a "typical" American family — half are above it, half below.

For example, in the 35–44 age bracket: median net worth is $135,000 but the average is $549,000. That $414,000 gap represents the effect of wealth concentration at the top.

## How percentiles are calculated

The tool uses known percentile breakpoints from the Federal Reserve data (25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles) and linearly interpolates your position within those ranges.

This gives a reasonable estimate of your percentile ranking. For net worths above the 90th percentile, the estimate becomes less precise — wealth distribution becomes very sparse above that level, and exact breakpoints aren't publicly available.

## How to use this tool

1. Enter your **age** (used to find your age bracket)
2. Enter your **net worth** — can be negative if you have more debt than assets
3. See your percentile ranking and how you compare to median and average for your age group

For an accurate net worth calculation, add up all your assets (home equity, savings, investments, retirement accounts) and subtract all debts (mortgage balance, car loans, student loans, credit cards).

## What's a good net worth for my age?

There's no single "right" answer — it depends on your income, family situation, cost of living, career stage, and goals. That said, common benchmarks:

- **By 30**: 1x your annual income in net worth
- **By 40**: 3x your annual income
- **By 50**: 6x your annual income
- **By 60**: 8x your annual income
- **By 67**: 10x your annual income (common retirement target)

These are rough guidelines from financial planning frameworks. What matters more is your own trajectory — are you building wealth over time? Is your savings rate increasing?

## FAQs

**Q:** Should I include my home in net worth?


**A:** Yes — home equity (current market value minus remaining mortgage balance) counts as an asset. However, your primary home is an illiquid asset you can't easily tap without selling or taking on debt, so some people calculate net worth both with and without home equity.


**Q:** Should I include my 401k and IRA?


**A:** Yes. Pre-tax retirement accounts like traditional 401ks and IRAs are included in net worth. Keep in mind that when you withdraw, you'll owe income taxes — some people apply a rough discount (like multiplying by 0.75) to estimate after-tax value.


**Q:** My net worth is negative. Is that bad?


**A:** Not necessarily, especially if you're young with student loans. Negative net worth is very common under 35. The question is whether it's improving over time. A 25-year-old with -$30,000 from student loans who is paying them down and saving is in a better position than someone with $0 net worth who isn't saving anything.


**Q:** How current is this data?


**A:** The Federal Reserve publishes the SCF every three years. The most recent is 2022. Net worth levels have generally risen since 2022 due to home price appreciation and stock market gains, so your actual percentile relative to today's population may differ slightly.


**Q:** Why is the average so much higher than the median?


**A:** Wealth in America is extremely concentrated. Billionaires and ultra-high-net-worth individuals pull the average far above what a typical household holds. The median is a better indicator of what's "normal."

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*Generated from [complete.tools/net-worth-by-age](https://complete.tools/net-worth-by-age)*