A 28-year-old employee who saves 150 euros each month wonders if he is behind or ahead of his peers. A couple in their fifties with a net worth of 200,000 euros is torn between reassurance and acceleration. To clarify the situation, we need concrete benchmarks by age group, not a national average that mixes everything together.
What the national average savings in France hides
The figure that circulates most often is from INSEE: a household savings rate of around 18% of disposable income. Translated into euros, this represents about 597 euros per month per household, or more than 7,100 euros per year.
This amount doesn’t mean much on an individual scale. The bottom 20% of households save about 30 euros per month. The top 20% save over 1,300 euros monthly. The gap is one to forty.
Another distortion: the French keep on average more than 7,000 euros in their checking accounts, according to 2026 data from the Banque de France. This dormant sum inflates the savings statistics without constituting productive capital. Since 2022, this cash cushion has been tending to decrease, a sign of a gradual shift towards interest-bearing assets rather than an erosion of savings capacity.
A detailed overview of the average savings of the French by age confirms these disparities between age groups and income categories.
Monthly savings by age group: the figures to compare
The data compiled by Ramify from INSEE and Banque de France sources provide a readable grid.
| Age Group | Monthly Savings | Savings Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 years | 137 € | 8 % |
| 30-39 years | 195 € | 9 % |
| 40-49 years | 270 € | 11 % |
| 50-59 years | 491 € | 18 % |
| 60-69 years | 495 € | 18 % |
| 70 years and older | 721 € | 25 % |
The jump clearly occurs after 50 years. Between 30 and 49 years, incomes rise, but fixed expenses (housing, children, mortgage) absorb most of the salary increase. It is after 50 that the savings rate doubles, driven by the end of loan repayments and children leaving home.
After 70 years, the rate climbs further to 25%. Current expenses decrease, retirement income remains stable, and leisure consumption eventually levels off. This phenomenon also fuels the debate on wealth transfer.
Median net worth: the cumulative effect of time
Monthly savings are just a flow. What matters for assessing one’s situation is the accumulated stock. The median net worth rises from about 15,800 euros before 30 years to over 214,000 euros between 60 and 69 years. The difference comes not only from the amount saved each month but also from the duration of accumulation and the appreciation of real estate assets.
Generation Z and savings: a documented catch-up
One might expect that those aged 18-27 are the weakest savers, and in absolute terms, that is the case. The surprise comes from the relative effort. Several recent studies show that young adults save around 150 euros per month, a level higher than that of millennials at the same age.
Inflation and job uncertainty have accelerated the building of emergency funds among those under 30. The benchmark norm circulating in this generation is three to four months of expenses in precautionary savings, a goal that their elders did not set as early.
Another signal: according to a barometer cited by the insurance companies of Groupe BPCE, 37% of 18-24 year-olds are already saving for retirement. The long-term projection reflex is establishing itself earlier than in previous generations, even if the amounts remain modest.
Savings rate in 2026: stabilization or decline after the post-Covid peak
The savings rate surged during the health crisis, exceeding 18-19% of disposable income. INSEE and Banque de France data indicate since 2023-2024 a stagnation, or even a slight decline in this rate. Households have started consuming again, and the rising cost of living has squeezed margins.
This recalibration has practical consequences for those aged 30-49. The averages by age calculated over the 2020-2022 period likely overestimate their current savings capacity. Returns vary on this point according to sources, but the general trend points to a slightly less robust savings effort in this intermediate age group.
The Livret A illustrates this shift well. Its rate dropped from 3% to 1.5% in one year, and the French withdrew 2.12 billion euros more than they deposited in 2025, a first since 2015. This movement does not indicate impoverishment but a reallocation towards more profitable investments such as life insurance or term accounts.
Three concrete benchmarks to assess your savings
Statistics by age are useful, but they do not replace a personal diagnosis. Here are the criteria that truly matter for evaluating one’s situation.
- The precautionary savings ratio to monthly expenses: aim for three to four months of expenses in liquid assets (savings accounts, interest-bearing checking accounts) before seeking returns elsewhere.
- The savings effort rate relative to net income: below 10%, wealth accumulation remains very slow. Above 15%, one enters a significant accumulation dynamic, regardless of age.
- The portion of savings that is actually working: leaving more than 7,000 euros in a non-interest-bearing checking account equates to losing purchasing power each year. Every euro beyond the safety cushion should be directed towards an asset that generates a return, even if modest.
Comparing yourself to your age group gives an indication, not a verdict. A thirty-something who saves 195 euros per month but places it entirely in a Livret A at 1.5% will build less wealth than another who invests half in a diversified life insurance policy. The amount saved matters less than its destination.