Americans say you need a net worth of at least $2.5 million to feel wealthy, according to Charles Schwab's annual Modern Wealth Survey, which surveyed 1,000 Americans ages 21 to 75 in March 2024.
According to recent data from the Federal Reserve, a net worth of at least $3,795,000 places you among the coveted top 5% of U.S. households. While this may seem like a substantial sum, it pales compared to the ultra-affluent's stratospheric wealth.
This year's study reveals that Americans now think it takes an average of $2.5 million to be considered wealthy – which is up slightly from 2023 and 2022 ($2.2 million).
"Schwab Survey Reveals That Americans Think It Takes $2.5 Million to Be Considered Wealthy in 2024."
What is a good net worth for my age? People in their 20s and 30s should target net worth of $100,000 to $300,000. A net worth of $1 million or more should be the goal in your 40s and beyond. A seven-figure net worth is usually necessary to ensure a comfortable retirement.
Probably 1 in every 20 families have a net worth exceeding $3 Million, but most people's net worth is their homes, cars, boats, and only 10% is in savings, so you would typically have to have a net worth of $30 million, which is 1 in every 1000 families.
Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).
Regarding net worth, having $1 million in liquid assets often puts you in the 'high net worth' category. But if you want to be considered very high net worth, you might need anywhere from $5 million to $10 million. For those aiming even higher, ultrahigh net worth status could mean having $30 million or more.
Rich people are often measured by their income. Wealthy people, though, are measured by their net worth – how much they own minus how much they owe. A person can earn a huge salary but not wealthy if they have high debt or no savings.
To crack the top 10% of retirees, your net worth needs to hit around $1.9 million, according to Federal Reserve Board survey data. For those aged 65-74, that figure jumps to about $2.63 million; for retirees 75 and older, it climbs even higher to $2.86 million.
High net worth individuals are typically described as people who have $1 million or more in investable assets. Those with more than $5 to 10 million in investable assets may be labeled as “very high net worth”, and those with more than $30 million are generally considered ultra high net worth individuals.
While there's no definitive line, households in the top 20% of earners are generally considered upper class. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in 2022 was $74,580. To reach the upper class in 2024, you'd typically need an income exceeding $153,000 – more than double the national median.
Interestingly, the 90th percentile is pretty flat, around $2.5M to $3M, from one's early 50s to one's 80s. The 95th is slightly less flat, with a peak slightly under $7M in one's late 60s; while the 99th percentile rises sharply with age until peaking over $22M in one's late 60s, from which point it mostly drops.
According to estimates based on the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, a mere 3.2% of retirees have over $1 million in their retirement accounts. The number of those with $2 million or more is even smaller, falling somewhere between this 3.2% and the 0.1% who have $5 million or more saved.
According to data based on estimates from the Federal Reserve, having a net worth of $4 million places you in the top 3% of American households. That's an elite group, for sure. Leigh Baldwin & Co. Advisory Services reports about 4,473,836 U.S. households have amassed $4 million or more in wealth.
But according to Charles Schwab's 2024 Modern Wealth Survey, the general consensus is that a net worth of $778,000 will put most Americans into financial comfort. This survey collected information from 1,000 Americans aged 21-74.
"For estate tax purposes all assets should be listed on the net worth statement, including tangible personal property like clothing, jewelry, furniture, cars, collections and art.
The average American net worth is $1,063,700, as of 2022. Net worth averages increase with age from $183,500 for those 35 and under to $1,794,600 for those 65 to 74.
Your home is likely your most valuable asset, and the value that you assign to it will have a great impact on your net worth calculation. A qualified real estate professional can give you an estimate of your home's value, or you can research online real estate aggregators such as Trulia or Zillow.
According to Kiplinger, by 2025, entering the top 2% of America's wealth will require a net worth of approximately $2.7 million, marking the threshold for elite economic status. Last year, the Schwab Modern Wealth Survey revealed Americans believe it takes $2.2 million to feel wealthy.
The final multiple — 10 to 12 times your annual income at retirement age. If you plan to retire at 67, for instance, and your income is $150,000 per year, then you should have between $1.5 and $1.8 million set aside for retirement.
With this amount of money in your pocket, you could afford to retire even earlier than planned. $3 million could also be enough for you to retire even earlier, at 40 or even 30, depending on the kind of retirement lifestyle you're after and the sorts of expenses you'll face month to month.