Average Net Worth by Age: Global Benchmarks for 2026
How does your net worth compare globally? Average and median net worth by age across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany — plus what the numbers mean for you.
Comparing your net worth to others is a natural impulse — but the comparison only makes sense when you use the right benchmark. Average figures are heavily skewed by the ultra-wealthy. Median figures tell you more about where a typical person in your age group actually stands.
Below are the best available median and mean net worth figures by age bracket across five major economies, along with the key drivers of the gaps between countries.
Why average and median differ so much
In the US, the top 1% of households own roughly 30% of all wealth. That pulls the average net worth dramatically higher than what most households actually have. The median — the midpoint where half of people have more and half have less — is a far better sense of "normal."
Whenever you see net worth statistics, always check whether they report mean or median. Mean figures can be 2–4x higher than medians in countries with significant wealth concentration.
United States (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances)
| Age group | Median net worth | Mean net worth |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $39,000 | $183,000 |
| 35–44 | $135,600 | $549,000 |
| 45–54 | $247,200 | $975,800 |
| 55–64 | $364,500 | $1,566,900 |
| 65–74 | $409,900 | $1,794,600 |
| 75+ | $335,600 | $1,624,100 |
United Kingdom (ONS Wealth and Assets Survey, 2024)
| Age group | Median total wealth |
|---|---|
| 16–24 | £4,000 |
| 25–34 | £52,000 |
| 35–44 | £152,000 |
| 45–54 | £314,000 |
| 55–64 | £487,000 |
| 65–74 | £552,000 |
Note: UK figures include private pension wealth, which represents a large share of total wealth for middle-aged workers. Stripping pensions out would roughly halve the 45–64 age bracket figures.
Canada, Australia, and Germany (approximate 2025 figures)
| Country | Median (age 35–44) | Median (age 55–64) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (CAD) | C$234,000 | C$641,000 |
| Australia (AUD) | A$312,000 | A$892,000 |
| Germany (EUR) | €84,000 | €238,000 |
Australia's high figures reflect the compulsory superannuation system, where 11.5% of all wages are mandatorily invested since 1992. Germany's lower wealth figures partly reflect a historically low homeownership rate (around 46%) and a generous state pension system that reduces the need for private savings.
Why these benchmarks matter less than you think
Local costs of living vary enormously
A net worth of $300,000 in rural Ohio and $300,000 in San Francisco represent very different levels of financial security. Benchmarks cannot capture this.
Family structure changes the math
Single-person households and dual-income couples in the same age bracket will have wildly different savings trajectories even with identical incomes.
Career stage matters more than age
A 38-year-old doctor who graduated at 30 after medical training is not comparable to a 38-year-old who has been in the workforce for 20 years. Compare by career stage, not just age.
The better benchmark: your own savings rate
Rather than comparing your net worth to a national average, track your savings rate — the percentage of your income you convert into net worth each month. A 20% savings rate will get most people to financial independence in 30–35 years regardless of where they live or what the median for their age group happens to be.
The trend in your own net worth growth rate over 12–24 months is the most actionable number. Are you moving in the right direction? That question matters more than where you rank relative to a statistical average that includes people with entirely different circumstances.