Educational only. Benchmark numbers reflect the 2022 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent released, with light 2026 directional updates).
"What should my net worth be at 30?" is one of the most-searched personal finance questions, and most answers are nonsense from financial influencers selling a course. Here's the honest answer from the actual Federal Reserve data — and the framework that matters more than the benchmark.
Compute yours in the Net Worth Calculator, then read on.
US median net worth by age (Fed SCF)
- Under 35: $39,000 median, $183,500 mean
- 35–44: $135,500 median, $549,600 mean
- 45–54: $247,200 median, $975,800 mean
- 55–64: $364,500 median, $1,566,900 mean
- 65–74: $410,000 median, $1,794,600 mean
- 75+: $334,700 median, $1,624,100 mean
Read those carefully: median means half of US households are below that number. The mean is much higher because the top 10% pull the average up dramatically. Compare yourself to median, not mean.
Percentile context
- Above your age-bracket median = above-average.
- 2× the age median = roughly top 25%.
- 4× the age median = roughly top 10%.
- Top 10% of all US households: ~$1.94M net worth.
- Top 1%: ~$11M.
The frameworks (use any one consistently)
- Millionaire Next Door: Expected net worth = age × pretax annual income × 0.1. At 40 earning $90K: $360K target.
- FIRE / Fidelity multiples: 1× annual salary saved by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, 10× by 67.
- 25× rule (retirement readiness): Investable net worth ≥ 25× annual spend. At $60K/yr spend, target $1.5M investable.
Liquid vs total net worth (the number that actually matters)
Two households can both have $500K net worth — one with $480K trapped in home equity and $20K liquid, another with $200K home equity and $300K liquid. They are in completely different financial positions. Total tells you wealth; liquid tells you optionality.
Track both. For emergencies, opportunities, job loss, or early retirement, liquid + investable net worth is the real benchmark.
What actually moves the number
- Savings rate. The single highest-correlation variable with net worth growth. Going from 10% to 25% savings rate roughly halves your time to financial independence.
- Asset allocation. A 30-yr-old in a 60% bond portfolio will end up with a fraction of the same person in 90% equities — the gap is hundreds of thousands by retirement.
- Avoiding high-rate debt. $10K of credit card debt at 24% APR is a 24% guaranteed-negative-return investment.
- Home purchase timing. Buying a house 3× annual income vs 5× annual income changes your net worth trajectory by ~$300K over 20 years.
- Marriage and divorce. Married households have ~5× the median net worth of single households. Divorce typically cuts net worth in half for both parties.
If your number is below median: what to actually do
- Track net worth quarterly. Trend matters more than absolute level.
- Kill any debt above ~9% (cards, personal loans) before extra investing.
- Capture every dollar of 401(k) match (guaranteed 50–100% return).
- Build 3-month emergency fund in a HYSA at 4.0–4.5%.
- Max Roth IRA ($7,000/yr in 2026) before taxable brokerage.
- Avoid lifestyle creep on raises — direct 50%+ of any raise to savings before adjusting standard of living.