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As of 2024, the average American had a net worth of $620,654, according to a report on global wealth by UBS (1). But if that number sounds surprisingly high and disconnected from yours, there’s a reason.
Averages are calculated by adding all of the numbers in a dataset, then dividing the total by the number of data points in the set. Because of this, the metric is easily skewed by outliers.
For instance, if you (with the average American net worth) and Elon Musk enter an elevator together, the average net worth in that elevator would essentially be half of his vast $342 billion fortune (2).
Your personal net worth is likely nowhere close to that $171 billion figure, but since Musk’s number is so high, the average is skewed upwards — or his downwards, depending on how you look at it. So, despite what the report says, you may know very few people who have $620,654 in wealth.
With this in mind, UBS tracked median wealth: a different measure which is likely closer to reality for everyday Americans.
Unlike averages, medians aren’t skewed by the extremes.
Rather than taking the total wealth across a country and dividing it by the country’s total population, median wealth is calculated by arranging all adults in either ascending or descending order of net worth, then picking the data point in the middle for a fairer representation.
In other words, if your wealth is similar to the median net worth figure, that means 50% of the country has less than you and 50% has more than you.
As of 2024, the median net worth in America is $124,041, according to UBS. That’s an astonishing five times lower than the average net worth of $620,654.
Zooming out, UBS found that America’s median wealth level made it the fifteenth wealthiest country in 2025 — lagging behind Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Italy. However, when looking at average wealth, the U.S. was the second-wealthiest country in the world.
This immense gap between average and median wealth is a reflection of America’s exceptionally high wealth inequality.
“When I’ve talked to retailers and CEOs who cater to the top third of the income distribution, everything’s great … it’s the lower half of the income distribution that is staring at this going, ‘What happened?’” Fed Governor Christopher Waller said on Dec. 16 at the Yale CEO Summit (3).
And the numbers appear to agree with Waller
At the end of 2024, more than two-thirds (67%) of total household wealth in America was held by just the top 10% of households, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (4). Meanwhile, the bottom 50% of households held just 2.5% of total wealth.
Put simply, you’re sharing the same country with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, but their success isn’t trickling down to you and your family.
If you’re looking to accumulate more wealth, it could be worth tapping into the same investment techniques as the ultra-wealthy.
To go beyond the median wealth level in America, you could start by focusing on saving more and investing in robust assets.
As of Sept. 2025, the personal savings rate was just 4.0%, according to the Federal Reserve (5). By saving 10% or 15% of your income, you would outperform the majority of other households.
But it’s just not just about saving more: It’s also about what you’re earning on that money you set aside.
The average interest rate for American savings accounts is just 0.39% (6). Though some platforms offer significantly higher rates.
It’s worth finding the best rate possible to ensure your money is growing as efficiently as possible. This is especially true if you’re trying to fight the effects of inflation through interest rates.
A high-yield account, such as a Wealthfront Cash Account, can be a great place to grow your emergency funds, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your cash when you need it
A Wealthfront Cash Account can provide a base variable APY of 3.25%, but new clients can get a 0.65% boost over their first three months for a total APY of 3.90% provided by program banks on your uninvested cash. That’s about 10 times the national deposit savings rate mentioned earlier.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, you can ensure your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, Wealthfront Cash Account balances of up to $8 million are insured by the FDIC through program banks.
After setting up your savings and having enough set aside for emergencies, the next step could be to invest like the ultra-rich. For example, the vast majority of Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth is derived from his stake in his company, Meta Platforms. His wealth expands as the company continues to grow.
For most investors, targeting a low-cost index fund gives you exposure not just to Meta but also hundreds of other companies that drive much of the nation’s growth and innovation. One oft-cited example is the S&P 500, an index fund tracking America’s 500 biggest companies, which delivered an average annualized return of 12.87% over the past decade, according to Morningstar (7).
Assuming a similar growth rate, investing $575 a month into the S&P 500 could get you above UBS’s reported $124,041 median wealth level in just over 10 years. Just remember, past performance is not a guarantee of your future returns.
Even if saving hundreds of dollars a month seems unattainable, you can start by investing small amounts and working your way up.
With Robinhood, you can start investing with as little as $1.
Their platform offers a simple and convenient way to invest in a wide variety of stocks, ETFs and options.
New Robinhood customers can get a free stock once they sign up and link their bank account to the app.
Your stock reward can range from $5 to $200, and you get to pick from top American companies for the actual stock you receive.
A consistent savings and investment strategy can better equip you to add alternative assets to your portfolio, such as real estate. Likewise, getting on the property ladder could unlock more wealth-generating opportunities.
According to the most recent Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finance, the typical U.S. homeowner is 43 times wealthier than renters (8). It’s important to note that this could be because it’s simply more expensive to buy than it is to rent, so if you have more money, you are more likely to be capable of buying a home. The fact that homeowners are richer than renters doesn’t necessarily mean that buying is the more profitable choice. Then there’s the home’s equity to consider.
But adding real estate to your portfolio can help you diversify away from the stock market, and lock in a tangible asset that has historically grown significantly — outpacing inflation and income growth.
And the best part? You don’t always need to pony up for a mortgage to access this vertical.
You can tap into this market by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties through Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each hand-picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, earning any quarterly dividends.
Once you’re an investor with Arrived, you’ll gain access to their newly launched secondary market, where investors can buy and sell shares of individual rental and vacation rental properties directly on the platform.
This allows you to buy into properties you may have missed at the initial offering or sell shares before a property reaches the end of its hold period.
UBS Global Wealth Management (1); Forbes (2); CNN (3); Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (4), (5); FDIC (6); Morningstar (7); Survey of Consumer Finances (8)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
