Americans’ Net Worth Comfort Level Increases Again
A study from Charles Schwab found that Americans feel the bar to achieve monetary wealth is increasing, but they value happiness just as much as financial success.
The net worth it takes for an average American to feel “financially comfortable” has gone up by $61,000, rising to $839,000 in 2025 from $778,000 in 2024, according to a survey from Charles Schwab.
In addition to the net-worth increase, this year’s survey also revealed that Americans largely now think it takes an average of $2.3 million to be considered “wealthy.” This number has dropped slightly in recent years but is a consistent trend in the survey’s five-year run. The annual “Modern Wealth” study examines Americans’ perspectives on saving, spending, investing and wealth.
Although the dollar amount to be considered wealthy has remained mostly consistent over the last few years, Americans still believe “that the bar to achieve monetary wealth feels like it is increasing,” according to the study.
Nearly 63% of survey respondents said they believe it takes more money to be wealthy today when compared with last year, citing the impact of inflation (73%), a worsened economy (62%) and higher taxes (48%) as the top reasons.
Further, 43% of respondents claimed higher interest rates and the resulting impact on borrowing has made them feel like it takes more money to achieve wealth, according to the survey.
More Than Money
When asked how they define wealth, survey respondents said they value happiness just as much as financial success and that physical health, mental health and strong personal relationships are also “key components of wealth.”
Regarding happiness and well-being, the survey found that many Americans feel rich. An average of eight out of 10 respondents said they feel wealthy when it comes to the quality of their relationships, with similar numbers for happiness (83%) and amount of free time (81%).
When the study asked for the threshold respondents believe it takes to feel “wealthy” or “financial comfortable,” Generation Z respondents reported the lowest figures, with $1.7 million and $329,000, respectively.
The younger generations were also more hopeful about their wealth trajectory, with 43% of Gen Z respondents and 42% of Millennials reporting they believe they will achieve wealth (or already have), as compared with 33% of Generation X and 20% of Baby Boomers.
Achieving Financial Comfort
The survey also found that most Americans do believe they can achieve financial comfort and even wealth, “but for many, hitting those goals can feel like a stretch.” Nearly half (48%) of those surveyed said they are either already financially comfortable or are on track to be, and one-quarter said achieving it is possible, but will require life changes.
For achieving wealth, one-third of Americans reported they are either on track or are already there, while 26% think they can get there, but with some significant lifestyle changes.
Overall, the study found that people who identify as savers, investors and planners are more likely to say they can achieve wealth than those who don’t. Asked whether they already feel financially stable, 31% of savers said they did, as compared with 20% of all respondents.
Asked whether they believe they are on track to be financially comfortable, 39% of savers said they are, as compared with 20% of all respondents.