When math is matter: Average and Median American Net Worth

December 5, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

As of 2024, the average American's net worth stands at a striking $620,000, according to a recent UBS report on global wealth. At first glance, that number might seem unexpectedly high, even out of touch with your own financial reality. If that’s the case, you’re not alone. There’s an important reason for this disconnect.

The figure of $620,000 is an average, a statistic that can be misleading when it comes to understanding the financial reality of most people. In statistics, averages are calculated by adding up the total wealth of a group and then dividing that sum by the number of individuals in the group. However, this simple math can be easily skewed by a few individuals who possess extreme wealth, making the overall average look much higher than it actually represents for the majority.

For example, imagine you’re in an elevator with Elon Musk. If you both were to pool your net worth, the average net worth in the elevator would be a mind-boggling $450 billion in 2025.  Jeff Bezos's net worth is approximately $200 billion. This extreme wealth of persons like Musk and