Last updated: July 2026. Sourced from Fidelity, Vanguard, and the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances. Writers are welcome to cite this page — see Sources below.
“Am I behind on retirement savings?” is one of the most common money questions, and the answer depends heavily on your age. Here is what Americans actually have saved by age in 2026, using data from Fidelity, Vanguard, and the Federal Reserve. One rule before the numbers: look at the median, not the average — averages are inflated by a small number of very large accounts.
Average Retirement Savings by Age (2026)
These figures blend Vanguard 401(k) medians and Fidelity generational data. Median means the typical saver in that group — half have more, half have less.
| Age group | Median retirement savings (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | ~$2,200 |
| 25–34 | ~$16,000 |
| 35–44 | ~$40,000 |
| 45–54 | ~$68,000 |
| 55–64 | ~$95,000 |
| 65+ | ~$103,000 |
Average vs. Median: A Huge Gap
The difference between average and median retirement savings is dramatic. Vanguard reports an average 401(k) balance of about $330,000 for savers 65 and older, but a median of only about $103,000 for the same group. The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances — which counts every account a household owns, including IRAs and pensions — puts the average across all families at roughly $333,940 but the median at just $87,000. When averages are three to four times the median, it means a small number of very wealthy households are pulling the average far above what the typical family has.
By Generation (Fidelity, combined 401k + IRA)
- Gen Z (13–28): ~$20,000
- Millennials (29–44): ~$92,000
- Gen X (45–60): ~$296,000
How Much Should You Have?
Benchmarks are useful, but your target depends on your income, lifestyle, and retirement age. The most powerful factor is time — money invested early compounds for decades. See how your savings could grow with our Retirement Calculator and our Compound Interest Calculator, which shows exactly why starting even a few years earlier makes such an enormous difference. Building the habit starts with a budget that carves out a consistent monthly contribution.
What This Means for You
The single most useful habit these numbers teach is to judge yourself against the median, not the average. Fidelity puts the average 401(k) at $146,400 but the median at just $34,400 — and the Federal Reserve shows the same pattern across all families, with an average near $333,940 against a median of only $87,000. When the average sits three to four times above the median, it means a handful of very large accounts are inflating it. If your balance looks small next to the average, compare it to the median for your age instead; that is where most people actually stand.
Read down the age table and the real lesson is the size of the jumps. The typical saver moves from about $16,000 in their late twenties and early thirties to roughly $68,000 by their late forties and around $95,000 by their early sixties. Those leaps are driven far more by years of compounding than by heroic contributions, which is why the under-25 median of about $2,200 matters so much: money added then has the longest runway to grow. See the effect for yourself with our Compound Interest Calculator.
Even the 65-and-older median of roughly $103,000 is modest against a multi-decade retirement, so treat these figures as a floor to beat, not a finish line. The practical move is to set a consistent monthly contribution inside a budget and then project it forward with our Retirement Calculator to see whether your own trajectory clears your target.
The generational figures make the same point from a different angle. Fidelity puts Gen Z around $20,000, Millennials near $92,000, and Gen X close to $296,000 in combined 401(k) and IRA savings. The steep climb from one generation to the next is not mainly because older savers set aside dramatically more each month — it is because their contributions have had more years to compound. That is the encouraging read for anyone earlier on the curve: the Gen X figure of $296,000 is roughly what today’s younger savers are on track toward simply by staying consistent. The takeaway from every number on this page is the same — start early, contribute steadily, and let time do the heavy lifting.
If you are just starting out, do not be discouraged by the larger figures. The typical saver in the 25 to 34 bracket has only about $16,000 put away, and even the under-25 group sits near $2,200 — proof that everyone begins small. What separates the median older saver with roughly $95,000 by their early sixties from someone who falls short is rarely a single large deposit; it is decades of steady contributions never interrupted. Set a monthly amount you can sustain, automate it, and revisit the number each time your income rises. That single habit is what turns the smallest balance on this page into the largest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- Fidelity Investments — retirement savings analysis (Q4 2025).
- Vanguard — How America Saves 401(k) balance data (2026).
- Federal Reserve — Survey of Consumer Finances (retirement account balances).
Note: Figures are approximate, rounded, and vary by source and methodology (single 401(k) vs. all household retirement accounts). Median figures better reflect the typical saver. For informational purposes only; not financial advice.
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