Average 401(k) balance by age: 2010s edition

Figures as of Dec 31, 2016 · Vanguard How America Saves 2017 · Page updated October 13, 2026

What did retirement savings look like a decade ago? These are Vanguard's 2016 figures — eight years into the post-2008 bull market, well before the pandemic-era surge. Check the 2020s box below to overlay today's numbers and see how far balances have come.

Compare with other decades

Check a decade to overlay it on the chart and add it to the table — check as many as you like. Decade comparison uses Vanguard's How America Saves (10-year bands) so figures are methodologically comparable.

What the 2016 numbers show

Averages hid the typical saver, just like today. The average balance for 55–64 year-olds was about $179,000 — but the median was under $67,000. Across every age group, the median ran at roughly one-third of the average. If your balance is below the average, the median is the fairer comparison.

Then the market took off. On Vanguard's consistent dataset, average balances are 50–90% higher by 2024 in every age group — the long bull market plus steady contributions compounding together. Check the 2020s box above to see both decades overlaid.

What to do with this

History's lesson is the boring one: time in the market and a steady contribution rate did the heavy lifting between 2016 and today. Run your own numbers with our 401(k) calculator — including your employer match — to see what the next decade could look like. For today's figures, see the current 2020s data.

Source: Vanguard How America Saves 2017 (data as of December 31, 2016), via the Boston College Center for Retirement Research. 2020s comparison: Vanguard How America Saves 2025 (2024 data). Balances reflect 401(k) accounts at Vanguard only — not IRAs, pensions, or other savings.

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Plug in your age, salary, and contribution rate to see where you're headed — and what closing the gap takes.

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