Think you’re on track for retirement? Nearly half of households have no dedicated retirement savings, so many “average” numbers hide a big gap.
This chart lays out median and average retirement balances by age, shows how many households actually save, and gives one clear action for each decade.
Use the median first to see where you stand.
If you’re below it, pick the decade tip and take one small step this week, like starting a Roth IRA or setting an automatic transfer to capture any employer match.
Comprehensive Age-Based Benchmarks to Compare Your Retirement Savings
The fastest way to assess your retirement readiness is to compare your current savings to a clear age-based chart. The table below shows average and median retirement account balances across six age groups, alongside the percentage of households that hold retirement accounts and one targeted action step for each decade.
Use the median column to understand what a typical household has saved, and the average to see the skewed impact of high-balance outliers. The percentage of households with accounts reveals that nearly half of Americans have no dedicated retirement savings at all, which drives a wide gap between those who save consistently and those who haven’t started.
| Age Group | Average Savings (USD) | Median Savings (USD) | % With Accounts | Key Action Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $49,130 | $18,880 | ~50% | Capture employer match and open a Roth IRA |
| 35–44 | $141,520 | $45,000 | ~62% | Direct raises and bonuses to retirement accounts |
| 45–54 | $313,220 | $115,000 | ~62% | Consolidate old plans and increase contribution rate |
| 55–64 | $537,560 | $185,000 | N/A | Maximize catch-up contributions (age 50+) |
| 65–74 | $609,230 | $200,000 | 51% | Optimize withdrawal strategy and manage RMDs |
| 75+ | $462,410 | $130,000 | 42% | Simplify investments and update estate documents |
Compare your own balance to the median figure for your age group first. If you’re at or above the median, you’re ahead of half of households in your cohort. If you’re behind, the action tips in the final column give you a starting point to close the gap.
Understanding the Assumptions Behind Age-Based Retirement Charts
Every retirement savings chart rests on a set of assumptions that shape the numbers you see. When you review any table or benchmark, you need to know whether the figures are adjusted for inflation, what contribution rates the chart assumes, and whether the author is using averages or medians.
The chart above reflects data collected through 2022 and accessed in February 2026, so recent economic changes such as higher interest rates or inflation spikes aren’t yet included. Here are the core assumptions and interpretation rules:
Data year: Values reflect retirement account balances through 2022, accessed February 20, 2026.
Suggested retirement age: Most benchmarks model retirement at age 65, though you can retire earlier or later depending on savings and health.
Recommended contribution rate: Many financial professionals suggest saving 10 to 15 percent of gross income, though this target isn’t always feasible for everyone.
Nominal versus inflation-adjusted values: The figures shown are nominal dollar amounts and aren’t adjusted for inflation unless otherwise stated.
Averages versus medians: Averages include extreme high balances and are skewed upward by wealthy savers. Medians show the middle household and better represent a typical saver.
Interpreting Retirement Progress for Each Age Range
Under 35
Early career savers often juggle competing financial priorities. Student loan payments, emergency fund building, and higher rents in cities where entry-level jobs are concentrated. Retirement accounts may hold smaller balances simply because contributors have had fewer years to save and earn compound returns.
The most important action in this age range is to establish the habit of consistent saving, even if you can only contribute a small percentage of each paycheck. Capture any employer match first, then open a Roth IRA if your income permits. Increase your contribution rate whenever you receive a raise or bonus.
Ages 35–44
Mid-career professionals usually see income growth as they gain experience, move into higher roles, or switch employers for better compensation. This decade offers a natural opportunity to accelerate retirement contributions without drastically reducing your standard of living.
Direct every salary increase straight to your retirement account before lifestyle expenses expand to fill the new income. Review any old 401(k) accounts from previous jobs and consolidate them into a rollover IRA or your current employer plan to simplify tracking and reduce fees.
Ages 45–54
This age range marks the final stretch before catch-up contribution rules unlock at age 50. Many households begin to feel urgency about retirement timelines. Earnings may peak during these years, but expenses such as college tuition or supporting aging parents can compete for the same dollars.
Focus on increasing your contribution rate to at least 15 percent if you haven’t reached that level yet. If you turned 50, take full advantage of catch-up contribution limits in both your 401(k) and IRA to add thousands of extra dollars each year on a tax-advantaged basis.
Ages 55–64
Pre-retirees in this band have the shortest runway to compound growth and the highest urgency to close any savings gap. Many people in their late 50s and early 60s begin modeling withdrawal strategies, estimating Social Security benefits, and deciding whether to retire at 62, 65, or later.
If your balance is behind target, consider delaying retirement by a few years to allow more contribution time and reduce the number of years your savings must cover. Use the enhanced catch-up limits available to those aged 60 to 63 under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Pay down any high-interest debt so that your retirement income isn’t eroded by monthly payments.
Ages 65–74
Once you retire, the focus shifts from accumulation to sustainable withdrawal. Many households in this age group have stopped contributing and have begun taking distributions to cover living expenses, which naturally reduces account balances over time.
Work with a tax professional to manage required minimum distributions if you have traditional IRAs or 401(k) accounts, and coordinate withdrawals to minimize tax liability. Review your investment allocation to balance growth with reduced volatility. Update your estate documents to reflect current beneficiaries and healthcare directives.
Ages 75 and Older
Account balances and the percentage of households holding retirement accounts both decline after age 75 as retirees draw down savings and some individuals move assets into other vehicles such as annuities or transfer wealth to heirs. Healthcare and long-term care expenses often increase during this period.
Simplify your portfolio to reduce the number of accounts you manage. Ensure that your withdrawal rate remains sustainable given your life expectancy and any legacy goals. If you haven’t yet purchased long-term care insurance and you can afford it, review options now, as costs rise sharply with age and health conditions.
Converting Retirement Savings Balances Into Salary Multipliers
Many retirement guidelines recommend that you save a certain multiple of your annual salary by each decade. For example, one common rule suggests having one times your salary saved by age 30, three times by 40, six times by 50, and so on. Converting the dollar balances in the chart to salary multiples helps you assess whether your savings keep pace with your income.
To perform the conversion, divide your current retirement account balance by your annual gross salary. The resulting number is your personal savings multiple. Here are three income scenarios:
Low income: $35,000 per year
Median income: $60,000 per year
High income: $100,000 per year
| Income Level | Example Salary | Savings Multiple Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Low | $35,000 | Balance ÷ $35,000 |
| Median | $60,000 | Balance ÷ $60,000 |
| High | $100,000 | Balance ÷ $100,000 |
If the chart shows a median balance of $45,000 for ages 35 to 44 and you earn $60,000, your savings multiple is 0.75, meaning you’ve saved three-quarters of one year’s salary. Compare that result to common benchmarks for your age to identify any gap, then adjust your contribution rate or timeline accordingly.
Effective Catch-Up Strategies if You’re Behind the Age-Based Chart
If your balance falls below the median for your age group, you’re not alone. More than half of U.S. households have no retirement savings at all. Many who do save haven’t contributed consistently. The good news is that catch-up rules and tactical adjustments can help you close the gap, especially if you act before you reach your planned retirement date.
Starting at age 50, the IRS allows additional catch-up contributions of $7,500 per year to a 401(k) and $1,000 per year to a traditional or Roth IRA. Under the SECURE 2.0 Act changes effective in 2025, workers aged 60 to 63 can contribute an even higher catch-up limit of $11,250 to a 401(k). This gives you extra room to accelerate savings during peak earning years.
Here are six practical strategies to apply:
Increase your contribution rate by at least one percentage point every six months until you reach 15 percent of gross income.
Capture the full employer match if you’re not already doing so, as skipping free matching dollars is the same as turning down part of your salary.
Consolidate old 401(k) accounts from previous employers into a single rollover IRA to reduce fees and simplify management.
Direct all raises, bonuses, and tax refunds straight to your retirement account before you have a chance to adjust your lifestyle.
Pay down high-interest credit card debt first, because interest rates of 18 to 25 percent will erase any investment gains you earn in a retirement account.
Delay retirement by two to three years if feasible, as extra working years allow more contributions, more employer match, and fewer years of withdrawals.
Using Retirement Savings Charts to Assess Your Progress
A retirement savings chart is most useful when you treat it as a diagnostic tool rather than a fixed rule. Your goal is to compare your current balance to the median for your age group, then adjust your contribution rate and timeline based on the gap you discover.
Follow these five steps to turn chart data into a personalized action plan:
Locate your age group in the table and write down both the average and median savings figures.
Compare your actual retirement account balance to the median, as that number represents a typical household rather than an outlier-skewed average.
Calculate your savings rate as a percentage of gross income and compare it to the 10 to 15 percent guideline.
Check whether you’re eligible for catch-up contributions if you’re age 50 or older, and confirm you’re using the full allowance.
Estimate the monthly contribution increase needed to close any gap, then set up an automatic transfer to make the change permanent.
Keep in mind that averages and medians reflect a wide range of incomes, expenses, and life circumstances. A single parent earning $40,000 faces different trade-offs than a dual-income household earning $150,000. No single chart can account for every variable. Use the benchmarks as a starting point, then personalize the plan based on your actual expenses, debt load, health, and retirement timeline.
Key Population-Level Retirement Statistics That Put the Chart in Context
Individual age-group benchmarks become more meaningful when you understand the broader landscape of retirement readiness across the U.S. population. The data reveal that a large share of households hold no retirement savings at all. Account ownership declines sharply after age 65 as retirees draw down balances or transfer assets.
More than half of American households reported no dedicated retirement savings as of 2022, which means the averages and medians in the chart reflect only those who have managed to open and fund an account. Here are the key population-level statistics:
54.3 percent of U.S. households have any money in retirement accounts, meaning 45.7 percent have zero dedicated retirement savings.
Only 9.3 percent of households have accumulated $500,000 or more in retirement accounts, showing that high balances are rare.
51 percent of households aged 65 to 74 hold retirement accounts, down from roughly 62 percent in the 45 to 64 age range.
42 percent of households aged 75 and older have retirement accounts, as many retirees have fully depleted balances or moved funds into other vehicles such as annuities or taxable brokerage accounts.
Data Caveats and Important Notes When Using Any Retirement Savings Chart
Retirement savings charts offer useful benchmarks, but they come with limitations that can mislead readers who treat the numbers as universal targets. Averages are heavily skewed by wealthy households with multi-million-dollar balances, while medians exclude everyone who has saved nothing at all and therefore understate the true readiness gap.
The figures in this article reflect data collected through 2022 and accessed on February 20, 2026, so recent economic shifts such as inflation spikes, rising interest rates, and stock market volatility aren’t yet captured. Nominal dollar amounts don’t account for the reduced purchasing power of future dollars. A $200,000 balance today won’t buy the same level of retirement security in 20 years.
Use these charts as a directional guide to spot gaps and prioritize actions, but always adjust the plan to fit your own income, expenses, debt, health, and timeline.
Final Words
Use the age-by-age table to compare where you are now and pick one clear next move. The post gave a chart with averages and medians, explained assumptions, showed salary multipliers, and offered catch-up tactics and a checklist.
If you’re behind, focus on employer match, raise contributions toward 10–15% when you can, and use catch-up rules once eligible. If you’re ahead, keep the habit and review withdrawal plans.
Treat the retirement savings by age chart as a practical benchmark, not a rule. Small consistent steps add up.
FAQ
Q: What is a good amount of retirement savings by age?
A: A good amount of retirement savings by age is a benchmark, not a rule: aim to save 10–15% of pay, compare to age-group medians, and raise contributions when your income grows.
Q: How many retirees have $1,000,000 in savings? / What percentage of retirees have $500,000 in savings?
A: The share with $500,000 or more is about 9.3% of households; far fewer reach $1,000,000, so expect a small, single-digit percentage of retirees to have million-dollar balances.
Q: At what age should you have $100,000 saved?
A: You should aim to have $100,000 saved by mid-career, often in your 40s; if behind, increase savings to 10–15% of income, use employer match, and raise contributions with raises.