Americans are slowly getting richer.
The median household wealth was $204,900 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released analysis of the wealth of American households using the latest available data.
As the Census Bureau defines it, wealth is “the value of assets owned minus the debts owed.” The “median,” or 50th percentile, of household wealth means that half had more than that amount and half had less.
For comparison, in 2023, the median wealth was $191,100.
Retirement accounts and home equity are the basis for most households’ wealth. In fact, homeowner households have about 48 times the median wealth of renters.
At the extremes, 1 in 10 American households had zero dollars (no wealth, or negative wealth), and the same number had more than $1.8 million per household.
The Census Bureau data also show that unmarried women are closing the wealth gap with unmarried men. Indeed, in some older age tiers, the gap in wealth between the sexes virtually disappears.
Keep reading for more about wealth by age, starting with the youngest age group.
Households led by someone under 35
Median wealth for:
- Married couples: $106,200 (in 2024 dollars)
- Unmarried male householders: $30,450
- Unmarried female householders: $16,600
The Census Bureau uses the word “householder” for someone who owns or rents a home in their own name. The median household wealth overall in this age group is $38,270.
Unmarried women in this age group still lag behind unmarried men, but the gap is closing. In 2023, unmarried female householders’ median wealth in this age group was $8,800, about 40% of the amount for unmarried male householders ($21,800).
Households led by someone 35-54
Median wealth for:
- Married couples: $334,600 (in 2024 dollars)
- Unmarried male householders: $103,600
- Unmarried female householders: $36,850
The Census Bureau provides two tiers of overall median wealth for this age group: $170,500 for those between the ages of 35 and 44 and $251,300 for those between the ages of 45 and 54.
At this age, women have just a fraction of the household wealth of men. However, a massive shift occurs in the next age cohort.
Households led by someone 55-64
Median wealth for:
- Married couples: $688,300 (in 2024 dollars)
- Unmarried male householders: $121,100
- Unmarried female householders: $76,100
The overall median wealth at this age was $311,700.
Beginning with this age cohort, the wealth gap between unmarried men and unmarried women decreases. In fact, the Census Bureau says, “the difference in median wealth between unmarried male and female householders was not statistically significant.”
Households led by someone 65 and older
Median wealth for:
- Married couples: $659,300 (in 2024 dollars)
- Unmarried male householders: $236,200
- Unmarried female householders: $188,300
The Census Bureau breaks median wealth into three tiers for this age group:
- $376,100 for those between the ages of 65 and 69
- $426,700 for those between the ages of 70 and 74
- $336,000 for those who are 75 and older
In this age group, married couples see their wealth-building efforts stall, likely because they are now drawing down their savings in retirement rather than continuing to add to their nest egg.
Asian households are the richest
Percentage of households with $1 million or more in overall wealth:
- Asian: 28.7%
- White: 22.6%
- Hispanic: 6.3%
- Black: 4.7%
- All other race groups and combinations: 14.3%
Breaking down household wealth by race, Asian households are the richest in America.
If you are beginning your wealth journey — or looking to accelerate your progress — check out “The 10 Commandments of Wealth and Happiness.”