KiwiSaver Balance by Age Calculator NZ 2026/27

Average KiwiSaver balance by age, New Zealand (31 December 2025)

Every year or so, Te Ara Ahunga Ora, the Retirement Commission, commissions an independent actuarial firm, Melville Jessup Weaver, to analyse KiwiSaver account data supplied by providers covering almost the entire membership base, around 3.35 million accounts as at 31 December 2025. The result is the most complete public picture of how KiwiSaver balances are actually distributed across age and gender in New Zealand, rather than a survey-based estimate. This calculator uses that data to place your own balance in context, matching your age to the correct five-year band and comparing your figure against the average reported for that band, either across all members or split by gender.

Figures marked with ~ for the 66-70, 71-75, 76-80 and 81-85 bands are the simple average of the separately published men's and women's balances for that band, since a single combined figure was not published for those four bands specifically. Every other row uses the directly published combined figure. The current row highlights automatically once you enter your age above.

Worked example

Take someone aged 34 with a KiwiSaver balance of $30,000. The average balance for the 31 to 35 age band, across all KiwiSaver members, was $26,231 as at 31 December 2025. Their balance of $30,000 is $3,769 above that average, or about 14% higher. If they compare themselves only against men in the same age band, the average rises to $29,991, only $9 below their own balance, essentially in line. Against women in the same band, the average was $24,279, meaning their balance is $5,721, or roughly 24%, above the women's average for that age group. The comparison changes meaningfully depending on which group you compare yourself with, which is exactly why this calculator lets you switch between all members, men, and women rather than showing a single blended number.

Average, not median: why the typical figure can be misleading

These figures are mean averages, calculated by dividing total KiwiSaver balances in a band by the number of members in that band, not medians. Averages are pulled upward by a relatively small number of members with unusually large balances, a pattern that becomes more pronounced at older ages, where the 86-and-over band shows an average balance of $194,276, more than double the 81 to 85 average, almost certainly reflecting a small surviving group of long-term, high-balance investors rather than a typical outcome for that age. In the working-age bands most people compare themselves against, the effect is smaller but still present. If your balance sits below the average for your band, it does not automatically mean you are behind the typical, or median, person your age, since the median in most bands is likely to be somewhat lower than the average shown here.

What affects how your balance compares to others your age

A KiwiSaver balance at any given age reflects factors this calculator cannot see: how many years someone has actually been contributing, since not everyone starts at 18, their income and the resulting dollar size of a percentage-based contribution, whether their employer also contributes 3.5% of gross pay under the default settings from 1 April 2026, whether they have claimed the maximum government contribution of $260.72 a year by contributing at least $1,042.86 themselves, their fund type and its long-run return, the fees they pay, and whether they have made a withdrawal, most commonly for a first home, which resets a balance well below what continuous contributions alone would produce. Two people the same age can have genuinely different, equally reasonable balances, so use this comparison as context, not a verdict.

What this calculator assumes

• Age bands and average balances are drawn from the Melville Jessup Weaver KiwiSaver demographic study, commissioned by Te Ara Ahunga Ora, the Retirement Commission, using data as at 31 December 2025.
• Figures for the 66-70, 71-75, 76-80 and 81-85 age bands are the simple average of the separately published men's and women's balances for that band, since a combined figure was not published for those bands specifically. All other bands use the directly published combined figure.
• These are mean averages, not medians, so they can be skewed upward by a relatively small number of very large balances, especially at older ages.
• The calculator does not know your income, contribution history, fund type or fees, so it can only compare your balance to a national average, not tell you whether you are personally on track for retirement.
• National average figures are updated roughly once a year, whenever Te Ara Ahunga Ora commissions a new demographic study.

Who this calculator is for

This is for anyone with a KiwiSaver account who is curious how their balance compares with other New Zealanders their age, whether that is out of general interest, before a KiwiSaver review with a financial adviser, or as a prompt to check a contribution rate or fund type that has not been reviewed in years. It is equally useful for parents wanting to see how early contributions to a child's account compare with national figures, and for anyone reassessing their retirement savings after a life change such as returning to paid work, a pay rise, or paying off a mortgage.

Frequently Asked Questions about KiwiSaver balances by age

What is the average KiwiSaver balance in New Zealand by age?

As at 31 December 2025, balances ranged from about $3,512 for those aged 17 and under to $77,927 for 61 to 65 year olds, rising steadily through a working life. See the full age-band table above for every five-year group to 86 and over.

What is the average KiwiSaver balance overall in New Zealand?

The average balance across all roughly 3.35 million members was $41,286 as at 31 December 2025, up 11.3% from $37,079 a year earlier. This overall figure is lower than most working-age band averages because it includes a large number of children and young adults with small balances.

Why is there a gap between men's and women's KiwiSaver balances?

Men's average balance was $47,452 compared with $38,212 for women as at 31 December 2025, a gap of about 24%, attributed mainly to differences in average pay, more time out of paid work for caregiving, and higher rates of part-time work among women.

Are these average balances or median balances?

They are mean averages, not medians. A relatively small number of members with very large balances, particularly in the older age bands, pull the mean upward. The typical, or median, member in most bands is likely to hold less than the average shown here, so treat these figures as a general benchmark rather than an exact midpoint.

Where does this KiwiSaver balance data come from?

The figures come from a KiwiSaver demographic study by actuarial firm Melville Jessup Weaver, commissioned by Te Ara Ahunga Ora, the Retirement Commission. The data is as at 31 December 2025 and covers approximately 3.35 million KiwiSaver members, close to the full membership. It was publicly reported in late May 2026.

My balance is well below the average for my age. Does that mean I'm behind for retirement?

Not necessarily. These averages are pulled upward by members with unusually large balances and take no account of your income, contribution history, or any first-home withdrawal. A lower-than-average balance is a reason to check your contribution rate and fund type, not proof you are behind. See the KiwiSaver Retirement Projection Calculator for a personalised check against your own goals.

Does my KiwiSaver fund type affect how my balance compares?

Indirectly, yes. Growth and Aggressive funds have higher expected long-run returns, 4.5% and 5.5% a year net of fees and tax, than Conservative or Balanced funds at 2.5% and 3.5%. Over a long period, members in higher-growth funds tend to build larger balances, with more short-term movement along the way.

How often is this KiwiSaver balance by age data updated?

Te Ara Ahunga Ora commissions a new demographic study roughly once a year. This calculator will be updated to the next release when it becomes available, so check the freshness date at the top of this page for the current data's as-at date.

Related calculators

• KiwiSaver Retirement Projection Calculator: project your own balance forward to age 65 using your income, contributions and fund type.
• How Much KiwiSaver Will I Have at 65: a simpler forward projection of your balance to retirement age.
• KiwiSaver Fund Type Comparison: compare Conservative, Balanced, Growth and Aggressive funds side by side.
• KiwiSaver Fee Drag Calculator: see the dollar cost of a fee difference between funds over your investment horizon.
• KiwiSaver at 65: Lump Sum vs Drawdown: compare taking your balance as a lump sum against a staged drawdown in retirement.

Official NZ sources

This calculator is built from primary New Zealand sources. Always confirm current figures against the official source for your situation:

• Te Ara Ahunga Ora, Retirement Commission: KiwiSaver policy and research, including the Melville Jessup Weaver demographic study
• RNZ: coverage of the May 2026 KiwiSaver balance by age report
• Financial Markets Authority: KiwiSaver Fund Updates and standard projection assumptions
• Inland Revenue (IRD): KiwiSaver contribution rates and the government contribution