WASHINGTON, October 15 — The typical American household has $8,200 in their bank account, according to the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances data as of 2025. That figure is up nearly $1,500 from the 2019 median of $6,720 and significantly higher than the 2010 median of $5,230, though down about 6% from the 2022 median of $8,760, all adjusted to 2025 dollars.
The average bank account balance across American households is substantially higher at $62,800 in 2025, reflecting the influence of high-value accounts on the mean, up from $52,760 in 2019 and $47,940 in 2010, but below the 2022 average of $68,290. Racial disparities are pronounced: White households have a median transaction account balance of $12,500, roughly seven times the $1,700 median for Black households and four times the $3,000 median for Hispanic households.
Average balances show even wider gaps, with White households averaging $80,790 compared to $14,720 for Black households and $20,230 for Hispanic households. Over the past 30 years, adjusted for inflation, median balances for Black and Hispanic households have declined—from $2,220 to $1,700 and $3,810 to $3,000 respectively—while average balances have risen. In contrast, White households have seen both median and average balances more than double since the early 1990s, increasing from $5,190 to $12,500 and from $34,330 to $80,790.
Age also correlates with account balances: median transaction account balances rise with age, from $5,000 for those under 35 to $14,000 for those 75 and older, with intermediate values of $6,600 (35–44), $9,400 (45–54), and $10,000 (55–64 and 65–74). Average balances follow a similar but more pronounced pattern, peaking at $97,000 for those 75 and older and $91,000 for those 55–64, then declining to $63,000 (45–54) and $21,000 (under 35).
The wealthiest households, those in the top 10th percentile of net worth, hold a median transaction account balance of $134,520—about three times the $44,650 median of the 75th to 89th percentile and 135 times the $1,000 median of the bottom 25% of net worth households.
Despite growth in median balances, financial insecurity persists: only 40% of Americans surveyed by Motley Fool Money feel financially secure, and the Federal Reserve found that just 57% have savings sufficient to cover three months of expenses, while 44% could cover a $400 emergency using checking or savings funds. A separate 2026 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking reflecting 2025 data found that 63% of Americans could cover a $400 emergency expense with cash or a credit card paid in full at the next statement.
Additionally, 39% of Americans maintain a separate emergency savings account, with higher rates among younger generations—40% of Gen Z and 47% of millennials—compared to 32% of Gen X and 38% of baby boomers. The article emphasizes that the median is a more reliable indicator of typical savings than the mean, as the latter is skewed by high-value outliers, and notes that reporting both metrics allows for meaningful comparison of wealth distribution.
Looking ahead, policymakers and financial institutions will need to address persistent disparities in account balances across racial, age, and wealth lines as economic conditions evolve.
