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Here’s the Average Net Worth of Americans in Their 90s (How Do You Compare?)

The median tells a very different story than the average.

By Josh Koebert , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Oct. 7, 2026

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Most financial benchmarks stop at 75. If you want to eliminate some money stress about where you stand in your 90s, it can feel like there is nothing to compare yourself against. That has changed.

Empower's Personal Dashboard data, published in August 2026, now includes net worth figures broken out by decade all the way into the 90s. It is the most specific publicly available data for this age group.

Here is what the numbers show, what they mean, and why the comparison matters less than you might think.

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What the Empower data actually shows

According to Empower's August 2026 analysis of anonymized dashboard users, Americans in their 90s have an average net worth of $1,410,145 and a median net worth of $278,215.

Those two numbers are dramatically different, and the gap is the most important thing to understand before comparing yourself to either one.

The average is pulled upward by a small number of very wealthy households. A handful of people with multi-million-dollar estates can lift the average for an entire age group well above what most people in that group actually hold. The median, which is the midpoint where half of people have more and half have less, is the more representative number for most readers.

One important note: Empower's data comes from users of their Personal Dashboard tool, not from a nationally representative survey. Empower acknowledges that these figures are not directly comparable to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances. People who actively track their finances with a digital tool may skew wealthier than the general population. Keep that in mind when using these figures as a benchmark.

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How net worth changes across the decades

The Empower data tells a clear story about how net worth rises and falls over a lifetime.

Net worth peaks in the 60s at an average of $1,747,349 and a median of $334,064, then generally declines. Here is how the numbers move:

Age	Average net worth	Median net worth
60s	$1,747,349	$334,064
70s	$1,639,178	$282,930
80s	$1,482,668	$290,346
90s	$1,410,145	$278,215

The decline from the 60s peak to the 90s represents a drop of roughly $337,000 in average net worth and about $56,000 in median net worth over three decades. That is what steady drawdown looks like in practice.

What net worth measures, and why home equity matters most

Net worth is simply what you own minus what you owe.

Assets include everything of value: savings accounts, investment and retirement accounts, the value of your home, vehicles, and any other property. Liabilities include mortgages, loans, and credit card balances.

For most Americans in their 90s, home equity is the single largest component of net worth. It represents decades of mortgage payments and price appreciation. But it is also largely illiquid, meaning it does not translate directly into monthly income without selling the home or using a financial product like a reverse mortgage.

That distinction matters when you are thinking about whether your net worth is actually working for you day to day.

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Why net worth falls in the 90s

Several forces combine to reduce net worth in the oldest years.

Decades of withdrawals. A person who retired at 65 and reaches 90 has been drawing down their accounts for 25 years. Even a well-managed portfolio shrinks substantially over that span.

Required minimum distributions. The IRS requires increasing withdrawals from traditional retirement accounts beginning at age 73, with the required percentage rising each year. By the 90s, required distributions are taking a larger bite from a smaller remaining balance.

Long-term care costs. The national median monthly cost of a private nursing home room in 2026 is approximately $10,798, and assisted living runs $5,900 to $6,200 per month. These costs can deplete assets rapidly, even for people who entered their 80s in solid financial shape.

Loss of a spouse. When one spouse dies, the surviving household loses their retirement accounts, any pension income, and often a significant portion of the investment assets that were held jointly. The surviving spouse carries a reduced asset base into their final years.

What the number means in practice

A median net worth of $278,215 in the 90s is the midpoint of the Empower dataset. But the more useful question is not how you compare to that number. It is whether your total resources cover your actual expenses.

The average Social Security retirement benefit in 2026 is approximately $2,071 per month. For many people in their 90s, that guaranteed income is the financial foundation that everything else builds on.

Even a relatively modest net worth works alongside Social Security. Someone with $200,000 in remaining assets and a $2,071 monthly Social Security benefit has a meaningful combined resource base, as long as expenses stay manageable and major care costs do not emerge unexpectedly.

The concern is when care costs arrive faster than anticipated. At $10,798 per month for nursing home care, a $278,000 net worth covers roughly 25 months. That is where the gap between a benchmark comparison and an actual financial plan becomes most visible.

Bottom line

Empower's 2026 data shows that Americans in their 90s have an average net worth of $1,410,145 and a median of $278,215. The median is the more useful benchmark for most people because the average is heavily skewed by a small number of high-wealth households.

The comparison to a benchmark is a starting point, not a verdict. The question that matters more is whether your combination of savings, Social Security, and any other income sources covers your actual monthly expenses and holds up under realistic care cost scenarios.

Strategies that can boost a fixed income at this stage, including reviewing whether a home equity conversion mortgage makes sense, ensuring Social Security is claimed optimally for any surviving spouse, and confirming that required minimum distributions are being managed tax-efficiently, can make a meaningful difference.

FAQs

Why is median net worth lower than average net worth?

Very large fortunes can pull the average upward. The median marks the midpoint: Half of the group has more, and half has less. That makes it a more useful comparison for understanding the middle of the group.

Does your house count toward your net worth?

Yes. Your home's value counts as an asset, while any remaining mortgage counts as a debt. The difference contributes to your net worth, but home equity is not readily available to pay everyday expenses.

Does net worth include retirement accounts at age 90?

Yes. Balances in 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement accounts count toward your net worth, along with savings, investments, and home equity. Net worth is the total value of those assets minus any debts.

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