From 24/7 Wall St. · Jake FitzGerald · · 1m 30s
Why Under-35s Lost 23% Net Worth as Retirees Gained 37%
Young families' median net worth dropped 23% while retirees' rose 37% in latest Fed survey.
In brief
Young families' median net worth dropped 23% while retirees' rose 37% in latest Fed survey. The Fed's 2025 survey shows under-35 families lost 23% median net worth as business equity reversed pandemic gains, while families 75+ gained 37% through retirement accounts. Originally reported by 24/7 Wall St..
Fed Survey Shows Net Worth Shift
The Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances reveals under-35 families lost 23% median net worth while families 75+ gained 37%.
Median Net Worth Decline for Young Families
Under-35 families' median net worth fell 23% to $33,000 from $42,700 in 2022, with mean net worth dropping 33% to $135,400.
Pandemic Business Gains Reversed
The Fed says young families' net worth declines were 'primarily driven by the unwinding of business equity gains between 2019 and 2022'.
“primarily driven by the unwinding of business equity gains between 2019 and 2022”
Retirees' Net Worth Gained 37%
Families 75 or older saw median net worth rise 37% to $504,900, with retirement accounts driving gains.
Business Equity Decline for Young Families
The median value of business equity for all families fell 23% from $98,500 to $75,400, reversing pandemic gains.
Retirement Plans Help Young Families
Under-35 families with retirement plans rose from 42% in 2016 to near 50% in 2025, with employer matches boosting net worth.
Housing Market Challenges
The median home price is 4.5 times median family income, with Case-Shiller index at 337.3 in July 2026.
The headline
The Fed's 2025 survey shows under-35 families lost 23% median net worth as business equity reversed pandemic gains, while families 75+ gained 37% through retirement accounts.
