Net Worth Calculator
Add what you own and what you owe to see your net worth instantly, then see how it compares to median U.S. households your age.
Last reviewed September 2026 · How this calculator works
Net worth is the single number that most honestly captures your financial position — not your salary, not your account balances in isolation, but everything you own minus everything you owe. This page explains how to calculate it correctly, how your number compares to real Federal Reserve data by age, and why "average" net worth figures are almost always the wrong benchmark to use.
What is net worth, and why it beats income as a wealth measure
Net worth is simply assets minus liabilities: everything of value you own, minus everything you owe. It's a more honest measure of financial position than income because income says nothing about debt, savings, or what's actually accumulated over time. A high earner with a large mortgage, a car loan, and no savings can have a lower net worth than a modest earner who has consistently saved and paid down debt for a decade. Tracking net worth over time — not just as a single snapshot — is one of the most useful habits in personal finance, because the trend line matters more than any single number.
Average vs. median net worth by age: the gap that changes everything
Most articles quote "average net worth by age," which is a misleading number for almost everyone. Average (mean) net worth is dragged sharply upward by a small number of extremely wealthy households, while median net worth — the household exactly in the middle — reflects what a typical household actually has. The gap between the two, using the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, grows dramatically with age:
| Age bracket | Average (mean) | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $183,380 | $39,040 |
| 35–44 | $548,070 | $135,300 |
| 45–54 | $971,270 | $246,700 |
| 55–64 | $1,564,070 | $364,270 |
| 65–74 | $1,780,720 | $410,000 |
| 75+ | $1,620,100 | $334,700 |
Source: Federal Reserve Board 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances (released October 2023) — federalreserve.gov. The 2025 survey is underway, with results expected in late 2026.
How to calculate your net worth correctly in 5 minutes
- List every asset at current market value — not what you paid. Cash and savings, brokerage and retirement accounts, real estate equity (current value minus mortgage owed), vehicles at current resale value, and any business ownership stake.
- List every liability at its current balance — not the original loan amount. Mortgage balance, auto loans, student loans, credit cards, and any other outstanding debt.
- Subtract liabilities from assets. That's your net worth — it can be negative, and for many people under 35 with student loans, it often is.
- Decide whether to include your primary home. Most standard calculations do (as home equity), but some people track "investable net worth" separately, excluding the home, since it doesn't generate spendable income the way investments do.
- Recalculate periodically — quarterly or annually. A single snapshot is far less useful than watching the trend over time, especially through market swings that temporarily move investment values up or down.
Assets
Liabilities
How you compare — median net worth by age
| Age bracket | Median net worth |
|---|
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 (most recent complete dataset available; the 2025 survey is underway with results expected in late 2026). The U.S. median across all ages is roughly $193,000 — the average is about $1.06 million, pulled far higher by the wealthiest households, which is why median is the more useful comparison.
Is my net worth "good" for my age?
Median figures are a useful reference point, not a scorecard. Where you land relative to the national median depends heavily on factors the median can't capture:
- Cost of living and location. A household in a high cost-of-living metro often carries a larger mortgage and lower savings rate than an identical household in a lower cost-of-living area, even at the same income.
- Student debt load. Graduate and professional degrees (medicine, law) often come with debt that depresses net worth for years, even while future earning potential is high — the national median doesn't separate this out.
- Career stage and income trajectory. Someone early in a high-growth career may show a low or negative net worth today that's a poor predictor of their number a decade from now.
- Family circumstances. Inheritance, single vs. dual income, number of dependents, and health costs all shift where a "normal" number lands for a given household.
The more useful practice than comparing to a national figure is tracking your own trend over time — recalculating quarterly or annually and watching the direction, not fixating on a single comparison point.
Related guides
- Buy, Borrow, Die Explained: How the Strategy Works and Where It Breaks
- What Counts in Net Worth? A Practical Guide to Calculating Yours
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Frequently asked questions
What counts as an asset for net worth?
Anything of value you own: cash and savings, investment and retirement accounts, real estate equity, vehicles, business ownership stakes, and other property. Use current market value, not what you originally paid.
What counts as a liability?
Any debt you owe: mortgage balance, auto loans, student loans, credit card balances, and other personal or business debt. Use the current outstanding balance, not the original loan amount.
What is a good net worth for my age?
According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (2022, the most recent available), median U.S. household net worth runs from roughly $39,000 under age 35 up to around $410,000 at ages 65-74, before declining somewhat in later retirement. These are broad national medians, not targets — a reasonable net worth depends heavily on your income, location, and cost of living.
Should I include my home in my net worth?
Yes, most standard net worth calculations include home equity (current market value minus remaining mortgage) as an asset. Some people track investable net worth separately, excluding primary residence, since a home doesn't generate spendable income the way investments do.
Why is average net worth so much higher than median net worth?
Average (mean) net worth is pulled sharply upward by a small number of very wealthy households, while median reflects the household exactly in the middle. For the U.S. overall, 2022 Federal Reserve data put mean net worth at roughly $1.06 million versus a median of about $193,000 — median is generally the more useful benchmark.
Is a negative net worth bad, and how common is it?
A negative net worth simply means your debts currently exceed your assets, and it's especially common under age 35 due to student loans and early-career low savings. It's a snapshot, not a verdict — what matters more is the trend over time. Many people with student loans or a recent home purchase see a temporarily negative or low net worth that improves steadily as they pay down debt and keep contributing to savings.
Does net worth include my income or salary?
No. Net worth is a snapshot of what you own minus what you owe at a single point in time — it doesn't directly include income or salary. However, income indirectly drives net worth over time, since it's the primary source of the savings and debt paydown that build assets and reduce liabilities.