Average net worth in Spain by age
Almost everyone who calculates their net worth for the first time asks the same question next: is this a lot or a little? The answer is in the Bank of Spain's Survey of Household Finances. These are the figures from the latest published edition, 2022, and what you need to know before comparing yourself with them.
The figure that matters is the median, not the mean
In 2022 the median net wealth of Spanish households was €142,700. The mean was €309,000. The gap is not an error: a few households with a lot of wealth pull the mean upwards.
The median is the household right in the middle: half have more and half have less. If you want to know where you stand, compare yourself with the median.
The survey defines net wealth as the value of all assets, real and financial, minus all debts. It does not include cars or other vehicles.
Median net worth by age of the household head
Wealth follows the life cycle: it grows slowly until 45, speeds up once the mortgage is well under way and peaks between 65 and 74, a little after income peaks.
- Under 35: €20,000 median (€77,600 mean).
- 35 to 44: €75,700 (€191,100 mean).
- 45 to 54: €128,300 (€257,300 mean).
- 55 to 64: €189,400 (€352,900 mean).
- 65 to 74: €225,800 (€442,300 mean).
- Over 74: €221,400 (€454,700 mean).
Housing explains almost everything
Households that own their main home have a median net wealth of €208,500. Those renting or under another arrangement, €5,100. It is the widest gap in the whole survey.
It does not mean buying always beats renting. It means that in Spain the wealth of a typical household is mostly its home minus its mortgage. If your home is 80% of your assets, an optimistic valuation moves your number more than your entire fund portfolio.
Self-employed and employees
Households whose head is self-employed have a median of €236,500, against €104,800 for employees. Part of it is the business, which counts as an asset. Part of it is that people with wealth find it easier to start one.
If you are self-employed, there is a line many people forget: the VAT and income tax you have collected but not yet paid is debt, not savings. Subtract it before comparing.
By income level
Wealth grows with income, but less than it seems. The 20% of households with the lowest income have a median of €38,800. The 40% to 60% income band, €131,200. The top 10% by income, €571,300.
A high income with no wealth is more common than people think. Wealth is not made by the salary. It is made by the gap between what comes in and what goes out, sustained for years.
How to compare yourself properly
The survey measures households, not people. If you live with a partner and share accounts, compare the whole household's wealth. If you keep separate accounts, compare half.
These are figures from the end of 2022. House prices have kept rising since, so today's medians are probably somewhat higher.
The survey leaves cars out. If you count yours, take it out to compare.
And most important: the useful comparison is not with your neighbour, it is with yourself twelve months ago. A net worth of €40,000 growing €600 a month is doing better than one of €150,000 that has been flat for three years.
Calculate yours today
Fider's net worth calculator gives you the number in two minutes with no sign-up. If you want it to update on its own with the price of your funds and your crypto, and to keep the curve month by month, the app does that: free to start and with no bank connection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average net worth in Spain?
According to the Bank of Spain's 2022 Survey of Household Finances, the median net wealth of households is €142,700 and the mean is €309,000. The median is the useful figure for comparing yourself.
How much net worth should I have at 30 or 40?
The median for households whose head is under 35 is €20,000, and for 35 to 44 it is €75,700. They are household references, not personal targets: what matters is that your curve rises.
Does the car count towards net worth?
Not in the Bank of Spain survey. In your own calculation you can include it at what you would get for it today, but take it out if you want to compare with the official figures.
Are the figures per person or per household?
Per household. If you share accounts with your partner, compare the wealth of both of you together; if you keep them separate, compare half the figure.