Average Net Worth in Canada by Age (Statistics 2026)

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The median Canadian household is worth $519,700, but that figure hides a huge range: pre-retirement households hold more than $870,000, while young renters hold only a few tens of thousands.

This page collects the key numbers on Canadian household wealth from Statistics Canada's Survey of Financial Security, broken down by age and by housing tenure. Each figure links to a source below. Updated June 2026.

Contents:

Median household net worth

1. The median is $519,700

Statistics Canada's 2023 Survey of Financial Security put the median net worth of Canadian households at $519,700, meaning half of households are worth more and half less.1

2. Up 57 percent since 2019

That median rose 57 percent from 2019, driven largely by rising real estate and investment values over the period.2

Net worth by age

3. Pre-retirement households are richest

Households where the main earner is aged 55 to 64 had the highest median net worth, at $873,400, the peak just before retirement.3

4. Seniors hold $739,000

Households aged 65 and over had a median net worth of $739,000, somewhat below the pre-retirement peak as savings are drawn down.4

5. Young households hold far less

Households under 35 had a median net worth of $159,100, though that was up sharply from $56,400 in 2019, the largest percentage gain of any age group.5

Age of main earnerMedian net worth (2023, CAD)
Under 35$159,100
55 to 64$873,400
65 and over$739,000
All households$519,700

Homeowners versus renters

6. Homeowners hold roughly 30 times more

Among households aged 55 to 64, homeowners had a median net worth of $1,241,800, almost 30 times the $43,000 held by renters of the same age.6

7. The gap starts young

Even among households under 35, homeowners held a median of $457,100 against $44,000 for renters, a divide that widens over a lifetime.7

8. Senior homeowners hold over $1 million

Homeowners aged 65 and over had a median net worth of $1,081,000, compared with $72,000 for renters of the same age.8

What wealth is made of

9. Real estate dominates

Real estate is the largest single asset for most Canadian families, which is why so much of an estate is a house rather than cash.9

10. Pensions are the next biggest asset

After real estate, private and workplace pensions form the largest share of household wealth, especially for households approaching retirement.10

11. Debt offsets the headline value

The OECD notes that Canadian household debt is among the highest in the developed world relative to income, so net worth is well below the gross value of the assets owned.11

Why it matters for estates

12. This is the wealth that gets inherited

The net worth held by older households is exactly what passes to the next generation. It is the foundation of Canada's roughly $1 trillion wealth transfer. See how much Canadians inherit on average.12

13. An illiquid estate is harder to divide

Because most wealth is locked in a home, dividing it fairly between heirs often forces a sale. A clear will reduces the conflict that this can cause.13 See dying without a will.

The most important lesson: a high median net worth means most Canadian families now have something substantial to pass on, usually a home. Whether it goes where you intend depends on having a valid will. For a guided start, read how to write a will, use a will template for Canada, or browse will statistics in Canada.

Sources

  1. 1Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  2. 2Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  3. 3Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  4. 4Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  5. 5Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  6. 6BNN Bloomberg / Statistics Canada (bnnbloomberg.ca)
  7. 7BNN Bloomberg / Statistics Canada (bnnbloomberg.ca)
  8. 8BNN Bloomberg / Statistics Canada (bnnbloomberg.ca)
  9. 9Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  10. 10Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
  11. 11OECD (oecd.org)
  12. 12CBC News / CPA Canada (cbc.ca)
  13. 13Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (canada.ca)
Max Kuch

About the author

Max Kuch

Max Kuch has spent years studying estate law, succession planning and the consumer questions that surround inheritance. For Get a Will he gathers and summarizes the leading data from Statistics Canada, the OECD and other authoritative bodies, and presents the numbers in a clear, accessible way.

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