Households with two or more members in Tokyo's 23 wards hold an average of about ¥22.68 million in financial assets, but the age gap is large—from about ¥4.28 million among households in their 30s to about ¥40.45 million among those in their 70s. Separate from Tokyo's image as a high-income city, we look at how financial assets differ between households in the home-buying stage and those that have largely completed asset accumulation.
Financial assets by age in Tokyo's special wards (2019, households with 2+ members)
| Age of household head | Financial assets (¥1,000) | Approximate value |
|---|---|---|
| Average, all ages | 22,679 | About ¥22.68 million |
| 30–39 | 4,284 | About ¥4.28 million |
| 40–49 | 19,026 | About ¥19.03 million |
| 50–59 | 17,014 | About ¥17.01 million |
| 60–69 | 19,624 | About ¥19.62 million |
| 70–79 | 40,454 | About ¥40.45 million |
A wide gap: ¥4.28 million in the 30s versus ¥40.45 million in the 70s
Households headed by people aged 30–39 average ¥4.284 million, those aged 40–49 ¥19.026 million, those aged 50–59 ¥17.014 million, and those aged 60–69 ¥19.624 million. The 40s through 60s are therefore in the roughly ¥17 million to ¥19 million range.
Households aged 70–79 stand out at ¥40.454 million, a difference of ¥36.17 million from those in their 30s. The overall average of ¥22.679 million is affected by this older, high-asset group.
High housing costs and asset-owning households in central Tokyo widen the generational gap
Households in their 30s in Tokyo often face expenses associated with the home-buying stage, including down payments and mortgages, as well as child-rearing and rent. At the same time, wards such as Minato, Chiyoda, Shibuya, and Bunkyo include households with business and financial assets, while the 70s group may include households that have received retirement payments or accumulated assets over many years.
But the 23 wards also include a wide variety of household finances in eastern and northern Tokyo, so the ¥40.45 million figure for people in their 70s is not necessarily typical. Financial-asset averages can be pulled strongly toward the upper end of the distribution, so being below the mean does not automatically mean that a household has insufficient savings.
How to read these figures
These asset statistics are averages and do not directly show medians or the distribution of assets. They cover households with two or more members, and real estate assets outside financial assets may not be included.
The article is organized primarily around figures from published statistics. Numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretations of background factors.
Summary: Tokyo's asset gap reflects both age differences and a skewed distribution
Tokyo's average of about ¥22.68 million combines households in their 30s who are in the housing and child-rearing stage with high-asset households in their 70s. The mean is highly skewed even within age groups, so simple comparisons without medians and liabilities should be avoided.
- 30s: about ¥4.28 million
- 40s through 60s: roughly ¥17 million to ¥19 million
- 70s: about ¥40.45 million
- The 23-ward average combines both high-income central wards and ordinary residential areas
Source: Published statistics listed in the Analysis notes at the end of this article
📊 Analysis notes
This article is based on the following statistical data.
- Statistics used: Statistics Bureau of Japan, National Survey of Family Income, Consumption and Wealth (Household Assets) (Table ID: 0003426527, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Tokyo special wards
- Year: 2019
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article is organized primarily around figures from published statistics. Because asset distributions, household differences, and other factors outside the article also matter, numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretation.
Chart and table values have been independently aggregated and visualized from the statistical data above.
Table values have been organized from the statistical data above.