How to use this calculator
- Age of the head of household: choose the age group used for the comparison. The Federal Reserve groups families by the age of the main earner or decision-maker.
- Assets: enter what each item is worth today. Count cash and CDs, taxable investments, retirement accounts, your home’s market value, vehicles at their resale value, and anything else you could sell.
- Debts: enter current balances, not monthly payments. Include your mortgage and any home equity loan, auto and student loans, credit card balances and other debts.
The results show your net worth, how your assets break down, and where you stand against the median and average for your age.
The net worth formula
The calculator also shows:
- Debt-to-asset ratio: debts ÷ assets. Lower means a stronger balance sheet.
- Home equity: home value minus the mortgage.
- Liquid assets: cash plus taxable investments, the money you could reach quickly without penalties.
Worked example
A family headed by a 40-year-old has $15,000 in savings, $25,000 in a brokerage account, $90,000 in retirement accounts, a $380,000 home, vehicles worth $22,000 and $5,000 of other assets: $537,000 in total.
They owe $260,000 on the mortgage, $14,000 on a car, $18,000 in student loans and $4,500 on credit cards: $296,500 in debts.
Net worth = $537,000 − $296,500 = $240,500.
That’s $84,880 above the 2025 median of $155,620 for families aged 35 to 44, and below the average of $681,910 for that group. Their home equity is $120,000, their debt-to-asset ratio is 55%, and $40,000 of their assets are liquid.
Net worth by age, 2025
From the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances. The 2022 medians are adjusted to 2025 dollars, so the change is after inflation.
| Age of head of family | Median | Average (mean) | Median in 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $32,970 | $135,430 | $42,720 |
| 35–44 | $155,620 | $681,910 | $148,350 |
| 45–54 | $253,650 | $1,244,530 | $270,560 |
| 55–64 | $411,910 | $1,877,990 | $398,850 |
| 65–74 | $431,320 | $1,897,550 | $448,600 |
| 75 or older | $504,900 | $1,962,240 | $367,250 |
| All families | $215,920 | $1,241,500 | $211,140 |
A few patterns stand out. Net worth usually climbs through the working years as people pay down mortgages and save for retirement. In 2025, the median for families 75 and older rose to the highest of any age group, while the median for families under 35 fell about 23% after inflation compared with 2022. The gap between owners and renters is even larger: the median homeowner family had $458,900, while the median renter family had $10,610.
Where the money sits
For most families in the middle, the home and retirement accounts make up the bulk of net worth. That’s why net worth can look high even when cash is tight. A useful habit is to track three numbers together: total net worth, liquid assets, and the debt-to-asset ratio.
How to raise your net worth
- Pay off high-interest debt first. Every dollar of credit card debt repaid raises net worth by a dollar and saves interest at card rates. The debt payoff calculator can plan the order.
- Automate saving and investing. Regular contributions plus growth do the heavy lifting over decades. See the investment calculator.
- Capture any employer match in your 401(k) before investing elsewhere.
- Avoid buying depreciating things on credit. A financed car loses value while the loan stays, which lowers net worth on both sides.
- Keep debt affordable. Lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio as well as your net worth.
Assumptions and limitations
Net worth here is a snapshot at today’s values, before taxes you’d owe if you sold investments or withdrew pre-tax retirement money. The survey figures describe families, not individuals, and the age group is based on the head of the family, so compare a household’s combined numbers. Survey values are in 2025 dollars. Pensions that pay a monthly benefit, and Social Security, aren’t counted in survey net worth or in this calculator, though they can be worth a great deal.
Sources
- Federal Reserve Board: Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 survey data and tables
- Federal Reserve Board: 2025 SCF Tables 1 and 2 with standard errors (Table 2, net worth)
- Federal Reserve Board: press release on the 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (Oct. 9, 2026)
- Federal Reserve Bulletin: Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2022 to 2025
This calculator is for personal planning. Comparisons use survey medians and averages, which describe groups, not individual goals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median net worth in the US?
The median family net worth was $215,920 in the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, released in October 2026. Half of families had more and half had less. The mean, or average, was about $1.24 million, pulled up by the wealthiest families.
What is a good net worth for my age?
The 2025 median was $32,970 for families headed by someone under 35, $155,620 for ages 35 to 44, $253,650 for 45 to 54, $411,910 for 55 to 64, $431,320 for 65 to 74 and $504,900 for 75 and older. Being above the median for your age puts you ahead of half of similar families, but what matters most is whether you are on track for your own goals.
Should I include my home in my net worth?
Yes. Count the home at what it would realistically sell for and its mortgage as a debt, which is how the Federal Reserve measures net worth. Because a home is hard to spend, it's also useful to look at your liquid assets, which the calculator shows separately.
Should I count my 401(k) and IRA?
Yes, at their current balances. They're real assets, though withdrawals from pre-tax accounts will be taxed. Some people subtract an estimated tax to see an after-tax net worth, but the survey figures count the full balances.
Why is average net worth so much higher than the median?
Wealth is very concentrated. In the 2025 survey, the median for the top 10% of families by net worth was about $4.9 million, which drags the average far above what a typical family has. The median is the better comparison for most people.
How often should I calculate my net worth?
Once or twice a year is enough for most people. Pick the same dates each time, such as January 1, so the numbers are comparable. The trend over several years tells you more than any single snapshot.
Updated November 2026. Results are estimates for educational purposes and depend on the inputs you provide.