US families boost retirement plan participation and savings, Fed reports

A new Federal Reserve analysis shows that U.S. household participation in retirement savings plans continued to climb, reaching 54.9% of families in 2025, a modest rise from 2022. The conditional median value of retirement accounts rose 11% over the period, now standing at $106,000, and the conditional mean jumped 23% to $451,100. All age brackets except those under 35 recorded higher average balances, with the 55-64 group averaging $670,200 in 2025.

Defined-contribution and IRA accounts dominate the landscape, with enrollment ranging from about 50% among younger families to roughly 65% for older ones. Nearly all households hold at least one financial asset, though direct stock ownership fell slightly to 19% of families.