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The median U.S. family net worth in the 2022 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances ranged from $39,000 for families whose reference person was under 35 to $409,900 for those aged 65–74. The arithmetic mean was higher in every age group, reaching $1,794,600 for ages 65–74. These are family-level estimates in 2022 dollars—not individual targets or live 2026 balances.
Net worth by age: 2022 median and mean
The Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) reports family net worth by the age of the family’s reference person. The table below converts the report’s figures, which are expressed in thousands of 2022 dollars, into dollars. “Median” is the midpoint of the distribution; “mean” is the arithmetic average.
| Age of reference person | Median family net worth | Mean family net worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,500 |
| 35–44 | $135,600 | $549,600 |
| 45–54 | $247,200 | $975,800 |
| 55–64 | $364,500 | $1,566,900 |
| 65–74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 |
| 75 or older | $335,600 | $1,624,100 |
Source for all estimates: Federal Reserve Board, 2022 SCF, Table 2, in the 2023 report on U.S. family finances.
Which number is the better comparison?
For a sense of what a typical family in an age band holds, start with the median. Half of families are below it and half are above it. The mean adds all family net-worth values and divides by the number of families; it is pulled upward when some families have much larger balances. The substantial difference between the median and mean in every band makes the mean a poor stand-in for the midpoint family.
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If you specifically mean the arithmetic average, use the mean column. If you are asking how a family compares with the middle of its age group, use the median. Neither figure says where any particular family should be.
What “net worth by age” measures
Family net worth, not one person’s balance
Net worth is assets minus liabilities. The SCF estimates this for U.S. families, with assets and liabilities measured at the time of the survey interview. A family’s figure is not necessarily comparable to one person’s personal balance sheet.
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Age is based on the family reference person
An entry such as “35–44” describes families whose reference person falls in that age range. It is not a separate estimate of every individual aged 35–44.
A survey snapshot, not a live 2026 benchmark
The table describes the 2022 survey and is stated in 2022 dollars. It should not be read as a current 2026 balance or silently adjusted to another year. The SCF is conducted every three years; the Federal Reserve’s SCF documentation describes the survey and its technical materials.
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What the age pattern does—and does not—show
Among the listed age bands, families under 35 had the lowest median and mean in 2022, while families aged 65–74 had the highest. Both measures are lower in the 75-or-older band than in the 65–74 band. These are comparisons across different families at one point in time; they do not track the same families as they age and do not show that age itself caused the differences.
Age is only one way to group households. Education, housing status, household size, location, housing costs, pensions, expected inheritances and financial goals can all affect how useful an age-band comparison is for an individual reader. The Federal Reserve’s SCF chart documentation notes that estimates for chart cells with fewer than eleven observations may not be robust; the age-band figures here come from the report’s published table.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How family net worth changed from 2019 to 2022
Across all U.S. families, the Federal Reserve reported that real median net worth rose 37% to $192,900 from 2019 to 2022, while real mean net worth rose 23% to $1,063,700. These are inflation-adjusted changes for all families, not age-specific growth rates. They provide context for the survey period but do not update the age-band figures to 2026.
To make a personal comparison, first calculate assets minus liabilities for the same family unit the benchmark represents, then choose the median or mean according to the question you are asking. Treat the result as context, not a financial-health score: the table does not account for your circumstances or set a suitable savings or retirement target.
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