The 2025 figures
| Housing status | Median 2022 | Median 2025 | Mean 2022 | Mean 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | 433.6 | 458.9 | 1,675.3 | 1,812.9 |
| Renter or other | 11.4 | 10.6 | 169.6 | 153.5 |
| All families | 211.1 | 215.9 | 1,164.1 | 1,241.5 |
Source: Federal Reserve Board, SCF 2025, Table 2. About 66% of families owned their home in 2025.
Why the gap is so large
Several things are mixed together in these two groups. The survey does not separate them, so none of them can be measured from this table alone:
- Home equity itself. For owners, the home is usually the largest asset. The median net housing value among homeowners was 230,000 dollars in 2025.
- Age. Renters include many younger families who have had less time to save; owners include many older families who have paid off much of their mortgage.
- Income. Buying usually requires a deposit and a mortgage approval, which are easier with higher income.
- Prior wealth. Families with savings or help from relatives find it easier to buy.
What the data does not show
The table shows that homeowners as a group have far more wealth. It does not show that buying a home caused that wealth, or that any particular renter would be better off buying. Families who are already wealthier are more likely to buy. The comparison describes who owns, not what owning does.
Whether buying or renting makes sense for you depends on local prices and rents, how long you plan to stay, interest rates, maintenance costs and what you would do with the money otherwise. A survey average cannot answer that.
How to compare your own figure
- If you own, count the home at market value and the mortgage as a debt; see does net worth include home equity.
- Compare a renter household with the renter median, and an owner household with the owner median.
- Look at your age group too, in average vs median net worth by age.
- If you are saving to buy, how much to save for a down payment turns a price into a monthly amount.
Building net worth as a renter
Renters build net worth the same way as everyone else: by saving, reducing debt and investing over time. A renter who saves the difference between renting costs and the costs of owning can build wealth outside property. The calculators on this site work the same way whether or not you own a home.
Questions people ask
Why is the renter mean so much higher than the median?
A small number of wealthy renters raise the average. The median, 10,600 dollars, is a better guide to the typical renter family.
Does “renter or other” include people living rent-free?
The group is labelled “renter or other”, so it covers families who do not own their home, which can include arrangements other than paying rent.
Sources
- Federal Reserve Board, Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2022 to 2025, Table 2: net worth by housing status.
- Federal Reserve Board, Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2022 to 2025: homeownership rate and net housing value.
Educational information only. This is not advice about whether to buy or rent.