These are the personal finance statistics we keep current: what Americans earn, save, owe and have put away for retirement. Every figure comes from a government agency, the Federal Reserve, Freddie Mac or a named survey we read ourselves. Each one sits next to its source, the period it covers and the date it was released, so you can see where it came from and how old it is.
Last checked: October 9, 2026
Key Personal Finance Statistics
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A note on dates. Each agency publishes on its own schedule, so the newest figure for one topic can be a month old and for another almost two years old. Where the newest official data is older than 2025, the Period column tells you. Nothing here is carried forward from an earlier year as if it were current.
Income and Spending Statistics
What households earn and where it goes. Census and the Federal Reserve measure income differently, so you’ll find both below.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $87,460up 2.6% from $85,210 in 2024, after inflation | 2025 | Census income report, released September 15, 2026 |
| Median household income after taxes and credits | $76,060up 3.1% from $73,760 | 2025 | Census income report, released September 15, 2026 |
| Median family income, Fed survey | $82,200in 2025 dollars; income for the year before the 2025 survey; up 7% from $76,900 in 2021, after inflation | 2024 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Mean family income, Fed survey | $145,200in 2025 dollars; down 6% from $155,300 in 2021, after inflation | 2024 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Average household income before taxes, BLS spending survey | $104,207per consumer unit | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Average annual household spending | $78,535per consumer unit; $77,158 in 2023 | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Share of spending that goes to housing | 33.4% | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Share of spending that goes to transportation | 17.0% | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Share of spending that goes to food | 12.9% | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Share of spending that goes to personal insurance and pensions | 12.5% | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Share of spending that goes to healthcare | 7.9% | 2024 | BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, released December 19, 2025 |
| Change in real average hourly earnings over 12 months | Down 0.3%all private-sector employees, seasonally adjusted | August 2025 to August 2026 | BLS Real Earnings, released September 11, 2026 |
| Women’s earnings as a share of men’s, full-time year-round workers | 83.9%80.6% in 2024 | 2025 | Census income report, released September 15, 2026 |
| Official poverty rate | 10.2%34.5 million people; down 0.5 percentage points | 2025 | Census poverty report, released September 15, 2026 |
Hourly pay hasn’t kept up with prices over the past year. Real average hourly earnings for private-sector employees, which is hourly pay after inflation, fell 0.3% from August 2025 to August 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Real average weekly earnings rose 0.3% over the same period because the average workweek got longer. The Census income figures above are for calendar year 2025, when the median household still gained 2.6% after inflation.
Savings and Emergency Fund Statistics
How much of a cushion people have, measured four ways: the national saving rate, what’s in the bank, and two surveys that ask whether an emergency could be covered.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal saving rate | 4.1%4.6% in July 2026 | August 2026 | BEA, released September 30, 2026 |
| Adults who would cover a $400 emergency expense with cash or its equivalent | 63%unchanged for three years; 68% in 2021 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults with three months of expenses set aside | 55%unchanged from 2024 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who could not cover three months of expenses by any means | 30% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults with three months of expenses set aside, FINRA survey | 46%53% in 2021; a different survey from the Fed’s | 2024 | FINRA Foundation study, released July 16, 2025 |
| Adults who had a major unexpected expense in the past 12 months | 59%vehicle repair or replacement was the most common, at 30% of adults | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Families with a transaction account (checking, savings, money market, prepaid card or payment app balance) | 98.7% | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median balance in those accounts | $8,200among families that have one; down 6% from 2022, after inflation | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Mean balance in those accounts | $62,900among families that have one; down 8% from 2022, after inflation | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Adults with a bank account | 94%77% among adults with income under $25,000 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Households with no bank account | 4.2%about 5.6 million households; the newest FDIC survey | 2023 | FDIC household survey, published November 2024 |
The Fed and FINRA ask a similar three-month question and get different answers: 55% and 46%. They’re separate surveys with different samples and question wording. And timing does not explain the gap: the Fed’s reading was also 55% in 2024, the year FINRA ran its survey. Cite the one that fits, and name it. If you’re building your own cushion, see how much to keep in an emergency fund.
Debt Statistics by Type
Totals come from the New York Fed, which builds them from credit reports. Per-family figures come from the Federal Reserve’s survey and cover only families that have that kind of debt.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total household debt | $18.77 trilliondown $13 billion in the quarter, up $383 billion in a year | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Mortgage debt | $13.12 trillion | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Auto loan debt | $1.71 trillion | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Student loan debt | $1.65 trillion | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Credit card debt | $1.26 trillion | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Home equity lines of credit | $459 billion | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Share of household debt in some stage of delinquency | 4.7% | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Consumer credit outstanding, not counting mortgages | $5.20 trillionseasonally adjusted, preliminary; revolving credit is $1.35 trillion of it | August 2026 | Fed G.19 consumer credit, released October 7, 2026 |
| Families carrying credit card debt after their last payment | 45% | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median credit card debt among those families | $3,100mean $8,000 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Families with student debt | 20%down 1.8 percentage points from 21.8% in 2022 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median student debt among those families | $25,600mean $43,000 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median debt secured by a primary residence, among families that have it | $183,600about 42% of families have this debt | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median share of income that goes to debt payments | 15.4%among families with debt; up 2.0 percentage points from 2022 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Families that were late on a loan payment in the past year | 19.6%asked of families that have debt; 12.2% in 2022; 8.2% were 60 days late or more | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Adults with debt from their own or a family member’s medical care | 18% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who used Buy Now, Pay Later | 16% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
The New York Fed and the Federal Reserve Board count student debt differently. The New York Fed figure above comes from credit reports, and the Board’s G.19 release put student loans at $1.86 trillion in the second quarter of 2026. Trying to get your own balances down? See how to pay off debt fast and how to pay off credit card debt.
Credit Statistics
What borrowing costs and how people use it.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average credit card interest rate, all accounts | 21.19%commercial banks | August 2026 | Fed G.19 consumer credit, released October 7, 2026 |
| Average credit card interest rate, accounts charged interest | 22.36%commercial banks | August 2026 | Fed G.19 consumer credit, released October 7, 2026 |
| Average rate on a 60-month new car loan | 7.54%commercial banks | August 2026 | Fed G.19 consumer credit, released October 7, 2026 |
| Average rate on a 24-month personal loan | 11.90%commercial banks | August 2026 | Fed G.19 consumer credit, released October 7, 2026 |
| Adults with a credit card | 82%84% in 2021 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Card holders who carried a balance at least once in the past 12 months | 45% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Credit card holders who say they always paid their cards in full in the past year | 53%down 6 percentage points from 2021; 79% of adults in this survey have a card | 2024 | FINRA Foundation study, released July 16, 2025 |
| Credit card balances moving into serious delinquency, annual rate | 6.97%90 days or more past due; 6.93% a year earlier | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Auto loan balances moving into serious delinquency, annual rate | 3.00% | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Mortgage balances moving into serious delinquency, annual rate | 1.52% | Q2 2026 | New York Fed household debt report, released August 11, 2026 |
| Adults who applied for any credit in the year | 33%one-third of applicants were denied or approved for less than they asked for | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who used a payday, pawn, auto title or tax refund anticipation loan | 7% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
More: Credit score ranges and how you compare and how to improve your credit score.
Retirement Statistics
Who has retirement savings and how much, plus what Social Security pays.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-retirees who think their retirement savings are on track | 35%40% in 2021 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults with a tax-preferred retirement account such as a 401(k) or IRA | 61% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults with a defined benefit pension through an employer | 29% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Families with a retirement account | 54.9%up 0.6 percentage points from 2022 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median retirement account balance | $106,000among families that have one; up 11% from 2022, after inflation | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Mean retirement account balance | $451,100among families that have one | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Families that own stock, directly or through funds and retirement accounts | 56%58% in 2022 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Retired workers receiving Social Security | 54.9 million | August 2026 | SSA monthly snapshot, released September 2026 |
| Average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker | $2,087.52 | August 2026 | SSA monthly snapshot, released September 2026 |
Housing Statistics
Owning and renting, and what each one costs a month.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | Q2 2026 | Census housing survey, released July 28, 2026 |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.3% | Q2 2026 | Census housing survey, released July 28, 2026 |
| Average 30-year fixed mortgage rate | 7.40%6.30% a year earlier | Week of October 8, 2026 | Freddie Mac weekly survey, released October 8, 2026 |
| Average 15-year fixed mortgage rate | 6.73% | Week of October 8, 2026 | Freddie Mac weekly survey, released October 8, 2026 |
| Median monthly mortgage payment, among homeowners with a mortgage (usually includes taxes and insurance) | $1,600up from $1,500 in 2024 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Median monthly rent, among renters who pay rent | $1,200 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Renters who fell behind on rent at some point in the past year | 23%up 2 percentage points from 2024 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Homeowners who went without homeowners insurance | 6% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Median net housing value for homeowners | $230,000home value minus debt secured by it | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median net worth of homeowners | $458,900 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Median net worth of renters and other non-owners | $10,600 | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
Net Worth and Generational Statistics
The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances reports by the age of the head of the family rather than by named generation. It’s run every three years, and the 2025 survey, released on October 9, 2026, is the newest.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median family net worth | $215,900up 2% from 2022, after inflation | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Mean family net worth | $1,241,500up 7% from 2022, after inflation | 2025 | Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026 |
| Age of head of family | Median income, 2024 (in 2025 dollars) | Median net worth, 2025 | Mean retirement savings, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $67,800 | $33,000 | $48,400 |
| 35 to 44 | $97,000 | $155,600 | $182,400 |
| 45 to 54 | $108,900 | $253,700 | $415,800 |
| 55 to 64 | $92,400 | $411,900 | $670,200 |
| 65 to 74 | $69,400 | $431,300 | Not reported |
| 75 or older | $66,800 | $504,900 | Not reported |
Source for the table: Fed Survey of Consumer Finances, released October 9, 2026. Income is for 2024, the year before the survey, and is shown in 2025 dollars. Retirement savings is the mean among families that have an IRA or a workplace account such as a 401(k), and the report gives it only for families under 65. Families under 35 saw their median net worth fall 23% from 2022, while families 75 or older saw theirs rise 37%.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 18 to 29 doing at least okay financially | 63%83% among adults 60 or older | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults under 30 who live with a parent | 49%up 12 percentage points since 2019 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults 18 to 29 who got help paying an expense from someone outside their household | 47%in the prior 12 months | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Gen Z adults with a formal, documented financial plan | 39%Millennials 36%, Gen X 27%, Boomers 26%; Gen Z in this survey means born 1997 to 2003 | April and May 2025 | Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, fielded April 24 to May 23, 2025 |
More: Average net worth by age.
Financial Well-Being and Planning Statistics
How people say they’re doing, and how many have a plan.
| What it measures | Figure | Period | Source and release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults doing at least okay financially | 73%34% living comfortably and 39% doing okay | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults just getting by | 19% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults finding it difficult to get by | 8% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults worse off financially than a year earlier | 28% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who say price changes made their finances worse | 58%65% in 2023 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who did not pay all of their bills in the prior month | 16% | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Adults who went without some medical care because of cost | 26%28% in 2024 | October 2025 | Fed household survey (SHED), released May 13, 2026 |
| Americans who have documented their goals in a formal financial plan | 33%adults 21 to 75 | April and May 2025 | Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, fielded April 24 to May 23, 2025 |
| Americans with no financial plan of any kind | 31%adults 21 to 75 | April and May 2025 | Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, fielded April 24 to May 23, 2025 |
| Net worth Americans say it takes to be considered wealthy | $2.3 million2025 survey, where they live; $2.5 million in the 2024 survey. Schwab’s 2026 survey, released October 7, 2026, published cryptocurrency findings and no new figure for this question | April and May 2025 | Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, fielded April 24 to May 23, 2025 |
You’ll still see one older figure quoted a lot. In a Harris Poll for Empower and Personal Capital released on January 10, 2022, 34% of Americans surveyed said they were “very financially healthy,” down from 48% in March 2021. It was published in January 2022 and comes from a different survey, so don’t set it beside the Fed’s 2025 numbers as if they measured the same thing. Source: Empower, 2022 Wealth and Wellness Index.
How to Use and Cite These Statistics
Cite the original source for any number you use. The link beside each figure goes to the release it came from, and the Period column tells you what time the data covers. That often isn’t the year it was published.
Where the source gives a median and a mean, you get both. A median is the middle household. A mean gets pulled up by the wealthiest households, which is why mean net worth is more than five times the median.
Personal Finance Statistics FAQs
The Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, released on October 9, 2026, found that 98.7% of families have a transaction account. That covers checking, savings and money market accounts, cash held at a brokerage, prepaid cards and balances in payment apps. The median balance among those families was $8,200 and the mean was $62,900. The mean is far higher because a small share of families hold very large balances, so the median is the better picture of a typical household.
Official sources report totals and medians rather than one average. Households owed $18.77 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, according to the New York Fed: $13.12 trillion in mortgages, $1.71 trillion in auto loans, $1.65 trillion in student loans and $1.26 trillion on credit cards. In the Federal Reserve’s 2025 survey, families with credit card debt owed a median of $3,100 and families with student debt owed a median of $25,600.
In the Federal Reserve’s survey taken in October 2025, 73% of adults said they were doing at least okay financially: 34% were living comfortably and 39% were doing okay. Another 19% were just getting by and 8% were finding it difficult to get by. The share doing at least okay has stayed at or near 73% since 2022.
About one in three. In Charles Schwab’s Modern Wealth Survey, fielded in April and May 2025 among Americans ages 21 to 75, 33% said they had set financial goals and documented them in a formal plan. Another 36% had thought about their goals but not written a plan, and 31% had no financial plan of any kind.
Median household income was $87,460 in 2025, according to the Census Bureau report released on September 15, 2026. That was 2.6% higher than in 2024 after inflation. After taxes and credits, the median was $76,060.
In the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, median net worth was $33,000 for families headed by someone under 35, $155,600 for ages 35 to 44, $253,700 for ages 45 to 54, $411,900 for ages 55 to 64, $431,300 for ages 65 to 74 and $504,900 for ages 75 or older. The median for all families was $215,900.
