The average consumer debt balance in the United States has peaked in 2024 at roughly ******* U.S. dollars. However, average consumer debt had decreased between 2010 and 2013, when it reached approximately ****** U.S. dollars. Here, consumer debt refers to student and car loans, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, and other types of debt.

Credit card debt in the United States has been growing at a fast pace between 2021 and 2025. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the overall amount of credit card debt reached its highest value throughout the timeline considered here. COVID-19 had a big impact on the indebtedness of Americans, as credit card debt decreased from *** billion U.S. dollars in the last quarter of 2019 to *** billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2021. What portion of Americans use credit cards? A substantial portion of Americans had at least one credit card in 2025. That year, the penetration rate of credit cards in the United States was ** percent. This number increased by nearly seven percentage points since 2014. The primary factors behind the high utilization of credit cards in the United States are a prevalent culture of convenience, a wide range of reward schemes, and consumer preferences for postponed payments. Which companies dominate the credit card issuing market? In 2024, the leading credit card issuers in the U.S. by volume were JPMorgan Chase & Co. and American Express. Both firms recorded transactions worth over one trillion U.S. dollars that year. Citi and Capital One were the next banks in that ranking, with the transactions made with their credit cards amounting to over half a trillion U.S. dollars that year. Those industry giants, along with other prominent brand names in the industry such as Bank of America, Synchrony Financial, Wells Fargo, and others, dominate the credit card market. Due to their extensive customer base, appealing rewards, and competitive offerings, they have gained a significant market share, making them the preferred choice for consumers.

Consumers in the United States had over **** trillion dollars in debt as of the first quarter of 2025. The majority of that debt were home mortgages, amounting to approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars. Student and car loans were the second and third largest component of household debt. Why is consumer debt important? Debt influences the Consumer Sentiment Index, which is an important indicator assessing the state of the U.S. economy. The U.S. housing market is also seen a bellwether of the economic conditions in the country. The housing industry employs a large number of people, and mortgages are large investments that consumers will pay off over the course of years, sometimes decades. Because of this, financial analysts closely watch consumer debt and its effects on the demand for housing. Attitudes towards debt Consumer perception of debt differed, depending on the kind of debt in question. While most saw a home mortgage as a positive investment, they increasingly looked at student loan debt as a negative debt. With education costs increasing, people are incurring more student loan debt in the United States. Credit card debt also had negative connotations.

Key information about United States Household Debt

• United States Household Debt reached 18,036.0 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with the reported number of 17,943.0 USD bn in the previous quarter
• US Household Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1999 to Dec 2024
• The data reached an all-time high of 18,036.0 USD bn in Dec 2024 and a record low of 4,540.0 USD bn in Mar 1999

• In the latest reports, United States Household Debt accounted for 61.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024
• Money Supply M2 in United States increased 21,533.8 USD bn YoY in Dec 2024
• United States Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 34.9 USD bn in Dec 2024
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 0.1 Months of Import in Dec 2024
• United States Domestic Credit reached 30,648.3 USD bn in Mar 2024, representing an drop of 0.3 % YoY

Households Debt in the United States decreased to 69.20 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 70.50 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United States Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Debt Balance Credit Cards in the United States decreased to 1.18 Trillion USD in the first quarter of 2025 from 1.21 Trillion USD in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Debt Balance Credit Cards.

Graph and download economic data for Household Debt Service Payments as a Percent of Disposable Personal Income (TDSP) from Q1 1980 to Q1 2025 about disposable, payments, debt, personal income, percent, personal, households, services, income, and USA.

Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: In Absolute Numbers: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data was reported at 1,945,064.278 Number in Sep 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,983,657.279 Number for Aug 2020. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: In Absolute Numbers: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data is updated monthly, averaging 1,262,141.181 Number from Jan 2010 (Median) to Sep 2020, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,988,821.874 Number in Jul 2020 and a record low of 767,619.683 Number in Oct 2014. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: In Absolute Numbers: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Domestic Trade and Household Survey – Table BR.HG001: Consumer Debt and Default Survey.

In the third quarter of 2024, household debt in the United States amounted to over 71.66 percent of its GDP. It can be generally observed that U.S. households are more indebted by the end of the year than in any other quarter. The debt of households peaked in the last quarter of 2020, reaching the highest value since 2013. Debt to GDP ratio As it can be observed here, the household debt to GDP ratio decreased overall in the recent years. The steady growth of the gross domestic product in the United States could be a factor explaining this tendency. If the volume of debt grows at a slower pace than the GDP, the debt to GDP ratio would decrease. In addition to that, the overall value of mortgage debt in the U.S., which is the most significant component of the household debt, decreased from 2012 to the third quarter of 2014, but it has rebounded since then. Public debt in the U.S. Public debt in the United States, which is the amount of money borrowed by the government to finance budget deficits, has been increasing almost every single year. Not only that, but according to that forecast it is also expected to keep increasing during the coming years. The major holders of American government debt, as of December 2023, were Federal Reserve and government accounts and foreign and international holders. The ratio of national debt to GDP of the United States was higher than that of other major economies, but lower than that of Japan. Some of the lowest debt to GDP ratios were observed in Hong Kong SAR, Kuwait, and Turkmenistan.

United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data was reported at 6.840 % in Mar 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.950 % for Dec 2019. United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data is updated quarterly, averaging 8.081 % from Mar 2003 (Median) to Mar 2020, with 69 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.780 % in Dec 2009 and a record low of 5.073 % in Jun 2016. United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.KB027: Household Debt.

The average consumer debt balance in the United States has peaked in 2023 at roughly 104,200 U.S. dollars. However, average consumer debt had decreased between 2010 and 2013, when it reached approximately 85,500 U.S. dollars. Here, consumer debt refers to student and car loans, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, and other types of debt.

Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Credit Card data was reported at 79.854 % in Sep 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 78.653 % for Aug 2020. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Credit Card data is updated monthly, averaging 77.270 % from Jan 2010 (Median) to Sep 2020, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80.139 % in Jan 2020 and a record low of 67.913 % in Jan 2010. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Credit Card data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Domestic Trade and Household Survey – Table BR.HG003: Consumer Debt and Default Survey: by Type of Debt.

Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Debt Commitment Time (Percentage of Indebted): Do Not Know / Did Not Response data was reported at 2.571 % in Sep 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.854 % for Aug 2020. Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Debt Commitment Time (Percentage of Indebted): Do Not Know / Did Not Response data is updated monthly, averaging 4.290 % from Jan 2010 (Median) to Sep 2020, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.376 % in Jul 2014 and a record low of 2.571 % in Sep 2020. Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Debt Commitment Time (Percentage of Indebted): Do Not Know / Did Not Response data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Domestic Trade and Household Survey – Table BR.HG007: Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Debt Commitment Time.

HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data was reported at 3,931.000 USD bn in Mar 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,897.000 USD bn for Dec 2019. HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,913.000 USD bn from Mar 1999 (Median) to Mar 2020, with 85 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,931.000 USD bn in Mar 2020 and a record low of 1,380.000 USD bn in Jun 1999. HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.KB027: Household Debt.

Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): More than 10 Minimum Wage: Do Not Know data was reported at 0.005 % in Sep 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.000 % for Aug 2020. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): More than 10 Minimum Wage: Do Not Know data is updated monthly, averaging 0.100 % from Jan 2010 (Median) to Sep 2020, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.873 % in Oct 2014 and a record low of 0.000 % in Aug 2020. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Type of Debt (Percentage of Total Households): More than 10 Minimum Wage: Do Not Know data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Domestic Trade and Household Survey – Table BR.HG003: Consumer Debt and Default Survey: by Type of Debt.

As of the last quarter of 2022, Alaska and Hawaii were the states in the U.S. with the highest credit card debt. While the average credit card debt in Alaska amounted to 4,430 U.S. dollars, people from Mississippi only had on average 2,450 U.S. dollars of credit card debt.

Graph and download economic data for Large Bank Consumer Credit Card Balances: 90 or More Days Past Due Rates: Accounts Based (RCCCBACTDPD90P) from Q3 2012 to Q1 2025 about 90 days +, accounts, FR Y-14M, consumer credit, credit cards, large, balance, loans, consumer, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Percentage of Total Households: Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data was reported at 13.834 % in Sep 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.867 % for Aug 2020. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Percentage of Total Households: Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data is updated monthly, averaging 9.912 % from Jan 2010 (Median) to Sep 2020, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.867 % in Aug 2020 and a record low of 6.142 % in Oct 2014. Brazil Consumer Debt and Default Survey: Percentage of Total Households: Up to 10 Minimum Wage: Household Who Will Not Be Able to Pay Debts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Domestic Trade and Household Survey – Table BR.HG001: Consumer Debt and Default Survey.

The generation X was the group of people with the highest average credit card balance in the United States in 2023. That year, the average credit card debt of the generation Z amounted to approximately 3,260 U.S. dollars. People in the silent generation had a credit card balance of roughly 3,410 U.S. dollars.

In 2023, outstanding auto loan debt in the United States reached a value of 1.51 trillion U.S. dollars. The overall value of car loan debt in 2019 amounted to 1.21 trillion U.S. dollars, showing an increase of approximately 300 billion U.S. dollars in three years.