AnswerAt age 30 with $25k income, the median US net worth is $2,000. The 75th percentile is $13,000. You can see where you rank below.
Median: $2,000 · 75th percentile: $13,000
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 data (released Oct 2026), computed from public microdata
Am I behind at age 30 on $25k?
Median net worth for US households age 30 earning $25k is $2,000; top 10% starts at $90,000. Computed from the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances.
A $25,000 household at age 30 has a median net worth of $2,000 in SCF 2025, and the bottom quarter holds $0 or less after debts. Even the 75th percentile, $13,000, is only about half of one year's income, while the 90th percentile of $90,000 reflects a very different situation. This cell is based on a small sample, so the figures are approximate.
Your numbers
Peer group: age under 35 · under $25,000Your $2,000 ranks ahead of 50% of US households age under 35 earning under $25,000.
Another $88,000 in net worth would put you in the top 10% for your peer group.
How this number is calculated
We look up your age and income in the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent SCF, released Oct 2026), then interpolate your position between 25th/50th/75th/90th/99th percentile breakpoints for that age×income cell. The Fed does not publish those cells, so we compute them from its public microdata. Figures are in 2025 USD, and cells with few sampled families are noisy. Households with similar age and income show meaningful net-worth variance — the percentile reflects how your balance sheet compares to theirs, not to the full US population.
What these numbers mean for age 30, $25k
Thirty-year-olds are compared here with every household under 35, so a 30-year-old sits toward the older end of that group, where balances are usually higher than for someone just out of school. The median of $2,000 works out to about 0.1x of annual income, far below the common rule of thumb of 1x income saved by 30. That milestone would be $25,000 here, which only households between roughly the 75th and 90th percentile reach. Most households in this income tier are behind that rule of thumb, and it says more about how hard it is to save on $25,000 than about any individual choice.
The upper end of the range is a different story. The 90th percentile of $90,000 and the 99th percentile of $374,000 sit far above the median, and the households up there often have something the typical one lacks, such as help from family, a partner's savings, an inheritance, or a vehicle owned outright. For context, the all-income median for the under-35 group is $33,000, many times this cell's median, and in SCF 2025 that group median is lower than in the 2022 survey, although sampling error makes the size of that change uncertain.
At this income the most useful steps tend to be modest and repeatable. Build a small cushion so a car repair does not turn into new debt, pay down high-interest balances, and check whether the Saver's Credit applies. It returns 10, 20 or 50 percent of eligible retirement contributions, up to an annual cap, depending on filing status and income, though it only offsets tax you actually owe. As a purely illustrative figure, $100 a month invested at a 7 percent real return for 30 years grows to about $122,000, but returns are not guaranteed and life interrupts plans. None of this is financial advice.
Benchmarks for age 30, $25k
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 (released October 9, 2026); cells computed from public microdata. Figures in 2025 USD. Cells built on fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Your seeded percentile if net worth equals the median for this cell: 50th.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a net worth of $0 at 30 normal on a $25,000 income?
It is common in this cell. The 25th percentile is $0, so about a quarter of similar households have nothing or less once debts are counted, and the median is only $2,000. Zero or negative net worth often reflects student loans, medical bills, or car loans rather than overspending, and it is not a permanent condition.
How much should I have saved by 30 if I earn $25,000?
A popular rule of thumb is about 1x income by 30, which would be $25,000 here. In SCF 2025 only households somewhere between the 75th percentile ($13,000) and the 90th ($90,000) reach it. A more realistic first target is a starter emergency fund and a steady monthly contribution rather than the full milestone.
Should I build an emergency fund or pay off debt first?
Many educators suggest a small starter buffer first, then aggressive payoff of high-interest debt such as credit cards, then a larger cushion. Without any buffer, an unexpected repair or medical bill often goes straight back onto the card and undoes the progress you just made.
Does the Saver's Credit apply at a $25,000 income?
Often, yes. The credit is worth 10, 20 or 50 percent of eligible retirement contributions, up to an annual cap, depending on filing status and adjusted gross income, and it phases out at roughly $40,000 for single filers. It is non-refundable, so it only helps if you owe federal income tax. Check the current-year IRS limits.
How do unpaid caregiving years affect Social Security later?
Social Security benefits are based on your highest 35 years of covered earnings, so years spent caring for a child or parent without wages count as zeros. Even part-time covered work in some of those years can raise the average, and spousal or survivor benefits may matter too, so it is worth checking your earnings record.
Is community college worth it for a career change at 30?
Programs tied to a specific licensed occupation, such as respiratory therapy, HVAC, or radiology technology, tend to lead to clearer pay increases than open-ended degrees. Before enrolling, compare total cost, local job openings, and the program's job-placement record, and look for grants that reduce the borrowing needed.
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between tabulated cells. Figures are in the dollars of each dataset's reference year unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.
Net worth figures come from the Federal Reserve SCF 2025 (2025 dollars). Age medians match the Fed's published tables; the age × income cells are computed from the public microdata, and cells with fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Full methodology.