Have you ever wondered if you’re “on track” compared to your peers? While most people compare themselves based on income (what you make), the real indicator of financial health is Net Worth (what you keep).
Think of your net worth as your financial scoreboard. It represents the value of everything you own minus everything you owe.
📊 The Scoreboard: Average vs. Median Net Worth
Based on Empower’s October 2025 data, here is how Americans are performing across the decades.
Note: The “Average” is often skewed by multi-millionaires, while the “Median” represents the person right in the middle—often a more realistic benchmark for most Americans.
| 🎂 Age Decade | 📈 Average Net Worth | 🎯 Median Net Worth |
| 20s | $127,730 | $6,689 |
| 30s | $321,549 | $24,508 |
| 40s | $770,892 | $76,479 |
| 50s | $1,369,809 | $192,964 |
| 60s (The Peak) | $1,576,784 | $290,920 |
| 70s | $1,462,121 | $232,712 |
| 80s | $1,363,996 | $234,300 |
| 90s | $1,224,187 | $206,054 |
🧮 The Net Worth Equation
Calculating your number is simpler than it sounds. It’s a basic tug-of-war between your “Plus” side and your “Minus” side.
{Net Worth} = {Total Assets} – {Total Liabilities}
🟢 The Assets (What you own)
- Cash: Checking, savings, and CDs.
- Investments: Brokerage accounts and 529 plans.
- Retirement: 401(k)s, IRAs, and Pensions.
- Real Estate: Your primary home and rental properties.
- Personal Property: Cars, boats, and jewelry.
🔴 The Liabilities (What you owe)
- Mortgages: Real estate loans.
- Consumer Debt: Credit card balances.
- Installment Loans: Student loans and auto loans.
🚀 Decades of Growth: Strategy by Age
🌱 The 20s: The Foundation
- Focus: Establishing habits and gaining knowledge
- Action: Start the “Auto-Save” habit. Even small amounts benefit from decades of compounding. Read about investing
📈 The 30s: Avoiding “Lifestyle Creep”
- Focus: Balancing growth with new responsibilities.
- Action: Don’t let higher earnings immediately disappear into luxury cars or fancy dinners. Keep your savings rate high.
🏔️ The 40s: The Peak Earning Years
- Focus: Avoid unnecessary competition for sake of social status
- Action: Avoid moving into a massive home just because your salary increased. Protect your gap between income and spending.
🏁 The 50s & 60s: The Stretch Run
- Focus: Maxing out accounts and killing debt.
- Action: Use “catch-up” contributions for retirement accounts and aim to enter retirement debt-free.
🌅 The 70s & Beyond: The Drawdown
- Focus: Strategic withdrawals.
- Action: Shift from accumulating to distributing. Decide between fixed monthly withdrawals or a percentage-based approach to ensure your money lasts.
💡 3 Quick Tips to Boost Your Number Today
- 🤖 Go Automatic: Set up transfers so you “pay yourself first” before you have a chance to spend it.
- ✂️ Targeted Debt Paydown: Attack high-interest credit cards first. They are the biggest “leaks” in your net worth bucket.
- 📉 Audit Your Subscriptions: Small monthly leaks (streaming, apps) add up to thousands of dollars in lost investment potential over time.
