The U.S. median net worth is $258,531 for 70-74 year olds and $272,976 for 75-79 year olds. The average net worth by age 80 is $235,193.
This article shows American median net worth by age percentiles for people in their 70s and 80s.
Contents
What is net worth?
Net worth is the most important measure of personal wealth. Net worth is the value of assets minus all debts. It is what you own less what you owe.
The formula for net worth is: net worth = total assets – total liabilities.
To calculate your net worth, see the Net Worth Calculator: What’s Your Net Worth?
What is the average U.S. net worth?
The U.S. average net worth is $748,800. However, a better comparison is the median net worth of $121,700.
For people in their 70s, the median net worth is $258,531 for 70-74 year olds and $272,976 for 75-79 year olds.
For people in their 80s and older, the median net worth is $235,193.
| Age | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 70-74 | $258,531 | $1,173,653 |
| Ages 75-79 | $272,976 | $945,480 |
| Ages 80+ | $235,193 | $973,141 |
The median is a better number to compare than the average. The median is the 50th percentile. Half of the families are above, and half are below. The average is increased by large net worths in the top 1%.
For example, the average net worth of $945,480 for ages 75-79 is in the 83rd percentile. 83% of households are below and only 17% are higher.
It’s not what you make, it’s what you save.
Net worth normally grows with age, so it’s a good number for comparison. Younger people have less wealth, so it is important to compare net worth by age.
The U.S. net worth by age data comes from two sources:
- Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Consumer Finances with income and net worth numbers from 2019. This is the latest information available from the Federal Reserve.
- Net Worth by Age Calculator for the United States from the excellent financial site DQYDJ.
Net worth by age
The following graph shows the 2019 U.S. household median net worth by age. The Federal Reserve publishes this report every three years. The next report will be released in 2023.
Net worth by age 80
Americans in their 70s have a higher net worth than the median.
According to the DQYDJ Net Worth by Age Calculator about 3% of people in their 50s have a negative net worth.
Average net worth by age 75
The following table shows net worth by age 75 sorted by percentiles.
Here is how to understand the percentiles for 70-74 year olds:
- 25th percentile of $70,081 means that 25% are below and 75% above this net worth.
- 50th percentile of $258,531 is the median. Half are above and half below this net worth.
- 90th percentile of $1,966,166 is in the top 10% of net worth. 90% of households are below this net worth.
| Net Worth Percentile | Ages 70-74 |
|---|---|
| 10 | $8,897 |
| 20 | $48,268 |
| 25 | $70,081 |
| 30 | $108,710 |
| 40 | $177,332 |
| 50 | $258,531 |
| 60 | $387,924 |
| 70 | $619,696 |
| 75 | $816,274 |
| 80 | $969,869 |
| 90 | $1,966,166 |
The 99th percentile or top 1% for 70-74 years olds is estimated at $12.6 million.
Here is the graph for net worth for ages 70-74 in percentiles.
What is a good net worth by age 75?
Here are net worth goals for 70-74 year olds. Compare your net worth with your age group.
| Net Worth Goals | Ages 70-74 |
|---|---|
| Below Average | Below $258,531 |
| Average | Above $258,531 |
| Good | Above $816,274 |
| Great | Above $1,966,166 |
For a good net worth by age 75, aim for the 75th percentile of $816,274 and above.
Average net worth by age 80
The following table shows net worth by age 80 sorted by percentiles.
Here is how to understand the percentiles for 75-79 year olds:
- 30th percentile of $126,701 means that 30% are below and 70% are above.
- 50th percentile of $272,976 is the median. Half are above this net worth. The other half is below.
- 80th percentile of $792,966 is in the top 20% of net worth by age group. 80% of households are below this net worth.
| Net Worth Percentile | Ages 75-79 |
|---|---|
| 10 | $4,958 |
| 20 | $60,158 |
| 25 | $83,500 |
| 30 | $126,701 |
| 40 | $203,146 |
| 50 | $272,976 |
| 60 | $365,083 |
| 70 | $491,256 |
| 75 | $611,857 |
| 80 | $792,966 |
| 90 | $1,541,480 |
The 99th percentile or top 1% for 75-79 years olds is estimated to be $12.8 million.
Here is the graph for net worth for ages 75-79 in percentiles.
What is a good net worth by age 80?
Here are net worth goals for 75-79 year olds. This table is helpful to compare your net worth with your age group.
| Net Worth Goals | Ages 75-79 |
|---|---|
| Below Average | Below $272,976 |
| Average | Above $272,976 |
| Good | Above $611,857 |
| Great | Above $1,541,480 |
For a good net worth by age 80, aim for the 75th percentile of $611,857.
Average net worth by age 80+
The following table shows net worth by age 80+, sorted by percentiles.
Here is how to understand the percentiles for people in their 80s:
- 25th percentile of $70,081 means that 25% are below and 75% above this net worth.
- 50th percentile of $258,531 is the median. Half are above and half are below this net worth.
- 90th percentile of $1,966,166 is in the top 10% of net worth. 90% of households are below this net worth.
| Net Worth Percentile | Ages 80+ |
|---|---|
| 10 | $18,496 |
| 20 | $84,118 |
| 25 | $107,664 |
| 30 | $121,781 |
| 40 | $182,768 |
| 50 | $235,193 |
| 60 | $318,432 |
| 70 | $442,145 |
| 75 | $589,233 |
| 80 | $788,862 |
| 90 | $1,655,537 |
The 99th percentile, or top 1%, for 80 year olds is estimated at $9.9 million.
Here is the graph for net worth for 80 year olds in percentiles.
What is a good net worth for 80 year olds?
Here are net worth goals for 80 year olds. Compare your net worth with your age group.
| Net Worth Goals | Ages 80+ |
|---|---|
| Below Average | Below $235,193 |
| Average | Above $235,193 |
| Good | Above $589,233 |
| Great | Above $1,655,537 |
For a good net worth in the 80s, aim for the 75th percentile of $589,233.
Here are 15 tips to increase your net worth:
Remember, net worth is assets minus debts. So, you need to increase assets and decrease debt.
- Make savings a habit.
- Pay off credit cards fast. Avoid credit card debt if you can.
- Pay off all your debts, especially any non mortgage loans.
- Invest in stocks using low-cost index funds
- Investments are better than savings. (Use total stock market index funds like VTSAX or SWTSX.)
- Let your investments grow using compound interest. Remember the Rule of 72.
- You need a plan, so make and follow a budget.
- Invest in a retirement plan at work, like a 401(k) or a Roth IRA.
- When you increase your income, increase your investments.
- Control spending so you can save and invest more.
- Track your net worth and update it annually.
- Compare your net worth to your age.
- Increase your skills to improve your income. Learn to earn.
- Owning a home is an investment. Homeowners typically have higher net worth
- Be patient because net worth grows with age and income.
Here are more net worth articles on Finally Learn:
What is Net Worth and Why Does it Matter?
How to Build Wealth: 10 Tips for Financial Freedom
Jeff Mankin teaches financial literacy and Excel. He is the founder of Finally Learn.
