Young Americans' Net Worth Tumbles 68 per cent in 25 Years

... while the net worth of households led by older Americans jumps 42 per cent. Occupy the retirement home?

Want another statistic that stands a good chance of ruining your day (so long as you're an '80s baby)? According to the Pew Research Center, American households headed by people younger than 35 years old have 68 per cent less in assets than they did in 1984. The median net worth (assets minus debt) for under-35 households in 2009 was a measly $3,662. In 1984, when adjusted for inflation, the median value was $11,521. The study suggests that much of that difference is due to the amount of debt that young people take on to get a university degree or diploma, as the average U.S. student now graduates with around $25,000 of debt. Another factor is the increased cost of housing, which made owning a house more prohibitive for younger people today than their parents 25 years ago. And many of those who did buy homes before the housing collapse are now largely stuck with real estate that still hasn't recovered all of its pre-recession value. As for the 65+ crowd, though, things have never been better. That same insane housing market has helped the median net worth of seniors explode by 42 per cent between 1984 and 2009, from $120,457 per household to $170,494. This has led to the ratio of net worth among the elderly compared to youth skyrocketing from a mere 10:1 in 1984 to an astounding 47:1 today. At least we can hope for a nice inheritance...