| Age group | Average balance | Median balance | Average minus median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $7,259 | $2,234 | $5,025 |
| 25 to 34 | $50,261 | $18,732 | $31,529 |
| 35 to 44 | $120,742 | $46,919 | $73,823 |
| 45 to 54 | $214,991 | $78,730 | $136,261 |
| 55 to 64 | $305,006 | $107,269 | $197,737 |
| 65 and older | $330,186 | $103,202 | $226,984 |
| All participants | $167,970 | $44,115 | $123,855 |
Source: Vanguard, How America Saves 2026 (year-end 2025 data), roughly 4.6 million participant accounts. Provider data, not nationally representative: it covers people who have a 401(k) at one recordkeeper and excludes IRAs, pensions, and Social Security. Download this table as CSV (CC BY 4.0 compilation, figures attributed to Vanguard).
Source: Vanguard, How America Saves 2026 (year-end 2025 data). Provider data, not nationally representative. Educational benchmarks, not financial advice.
Read the full study on FinExplained ↗ Educational estimate, not financial advice. See finexplained.com for methodology and assumptions.