How much cash does the average American carry?
Ava Mcdaniel
Updated on March 22, 2026
American households had a median balance of $5,300 and an average balance of $41,600 in their transaction bank accounts in 2019, according to data collected by the Federal Reserve. Transaction accounts include savings accounts as well as checking, money market and call accounts and prepaid debit cards.
How much money does the average person carry with them?
Roughly eight in 10 people carry less than $50 cash in their wallets on a regular basis, according to a new report from Bankrate.com. Close to 50 percent of Americans carry $20 or less each day, including nine percent who don't carry any cash at all. And only 7 percent carry more than $100 each day.How much money does average American have in the bank?
Most Americans have $1,000 to $5,000 in savingsAnd 35% have $1,000 or less. When the average American's monthly expenses are $5,111, that's not enough to cover an emergency. Unfortunately, the numbers are even more dire when we look at savings accounts specifically held for emergencies.