These 18 million households now rank as the richest in the U.S., new Fed data shows

TL;DR

Households headed by someone 75 or older have the highest median net worth ($504,000) and experienced the largest income gains (24%) between 2022 and 2025.
The oldest demographic likely benefited from growth in retirement assets and strong stock market performance, with the S&P 500 gaining 78% during the measured period.
Despite the wealth accumulation among older Americans, 20% of U.S. households were behind on debt repayments in 2025, a 7-percentage-point increase since 2022.
Households headed by someone under 35 saw their median net worth plunge 23% to $33,000 between 2022 and 2025, primarily due to a drop in business equity gains.
The number of 401(k) accounts with at least $1 million reached a record high, supported by market gains and increased employee contributions.

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