This is how much San Diegans think they need to retire
How often do you look at your retirement savings or investments and worry you don’t have enough set aside?
How much is enough, anyway?
A new study from Northwestern Mutual has revealed exactly how much San Diegans think they will need to have a comfortable retirement.
That amount: $2.1 million.
That is significantly more than what people across the U.S. think they will need - $1.46 million - and right in sync with the local high cost of housing, health care and more
Not only do people here expect they’ll need more than the average. The amount needed is higher in San Diego than any other metro area surveyed. The next highest was San Francisco, at $1.9 million. The lowest: Atlanta, at just under a million.
Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning & Progress Study is based on a poll of 4,375 adults across the U.S., conducted in January. Along with that target figure, the study also revealed how people are planning, how long people think they’ll live, and how they feel about reaching their financial goals for retirement.
San Diegans: more stressed than average
San Diegans are worried about affording retirement, the survey found. They were worried about whether inflation will pose a challenge during their retirement, how taxes will impact them, and how the stock market will perform.
One in five people here said they have delayed retirement because of financial challenges or worries.
One more reason why: San Diegans reported not just needing more money in retirement, but also being behind on savings. A far smaller percentage of people here said they have three times their annual income already saved up, versus the national average.
As a result of these conditions and concerns, 46% of working San Diegans think they’ll have enough saved up and 54% expect to outlive their savings.
Local survey takers also said they feel less prepared, compared to people elsewhere, when it comes to paying for health care, having enough life insurance coverage, having a cushion to leave to heirs or charitable causes, and having a plan in case they outlive their savings.
In some ways, San Diegans lined up with national trends. People here and in other cities plan to retire at 65 or 66, on average.
Like people across the U.S., people in San Diego said they started saving when they were 30. And both here and across the U.S., on average, 55% of respondents know how much they have set aside for retirement. That means, however, that 45% do not.
Do you live in San Diego County, and are you working past retirement? A reporter would like to speak with you. Please email roxana.popescu@sduniontribune.com and share: How many hours per week do you work? How old are you? Why are you working past retirement? What is your current job or jobs? What is your phone number? Your story and information will not be used without your permission.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 6:21 AM.