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Seven-Figure Gen X Averages Mask a Much Lower Typical Net Worth

Median benchmarks from the Fed plus Empower point to modest balances for most households, reflecting wealth concentration alongside heavy home equity.

Overview

  • Empower’s 2026 data shows average net worth of about $1.36 million for people in their 50s and $1.58 million for those in their 60s.
  • In the same Empower sample, the median is far lower at $180,227 for people in their 50s and $274,564 for those in their 60s.
  • The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances reports a 2022 median net worth of $364,270 for ages 55–64 and a median household income of $82,150 for that group.
  • Investopedia’s analysis of Fed data finds only about 10.5% of Americans ages 18–39 have at least $500,000, with a median net worth near $178,000 around age 40.
  • Home equity often represents the largest share of wealth for midlife households, which can overstate liquid retirement resources, and results differ between Empower users and the Fed’s nationally representative survey.