Gen Z Respondents Began Building Wealth at 19 on Average; 62% Struggle

In the online survey, Gen Z respondents put their average starting age for deliberate wealth building at 19, while 62% said they struggled to make financial progress.

That average was 13 years below the 32-year average among respondents ages 62 and older. Millennials said they started at 25 on average, while Gen X respondents reported an average age of 29.

The survey asked when participants first began building wealth intentionally, with examples including investing, contributing to a retirement account, buying property and saving for long-term financial goals. It covered 5,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older from June 15 to July 1, 2026. The 970 Gen Z respondents were ages 18 to 29.

Fifty-six percent of Gen Z respondents also said they had done everything “right” but had not reached their financial hopes. The survey measured when respondents said they started and how they viewed their progress; it did not measure their net worth or investment returns.

Housing remained difficult for many respondents. Twenty-nine percent of Gen Z participants said financial constraints had led them to abandon plans to own a home, and 62% viewed the stock market as a more realistic route to wealth than buying one.

Interest in newer investments coexisted with support for traditional approaches. Forty-eight percent said options such as cryptocurrency appealed to them more than traditional investments, while 76% considered traditional investing the better choice for long-term goals.

“Many younger Americans aren't abandoning traditional financial goals – they're adapting how they pursue them,” said Scott Ford, president of U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The survey figures describe respondents’ views and reported experiences. They do not establish that housing, education or vehicle costs caused the financial frustration respondents described.