The United States recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 124.30 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - United States Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• United States Government debt accounted for 124.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 123.1 % in the previous quarter.
• US government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1969 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 130.4 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 31.8 % in Sep 1974.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides Government Debt in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US National Government Debt reached 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The statistic shows the national debt of the United States from 2019 to 2022 in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP), with projections up until 2029. In 2022, the national debt of the United States was at around 120.03 percent of the gross domestic product. See the US GDP for further information. US finances There has been a dramatic increase in the public debt of the United States since 1990, although the month-to-month change has been quite stable over the last few months. Public debt is defined as the amount of money borrowed by a country to cover budget deficits. A ranking of individual state debt in the United States shows that California is leading by a clear margin, with more than double the amount of runner-up New York. Vermont, North Dakota and South Dakota are the states with the lowest amount of debt. Even before the recession of 2008, the national debt of the United States had been increasing steadily and excessively, and it is predicted to rise even further. Budget cuts and fewer job opportunities as a result of the crisis are taking their toll on the American economy, which is still recovering. Trade figures as well as unemployment are still below average. Subsequently, the national debt and the national debt of the United States per capita have more or less quadrupled since the 1990s. Interestingly, the United States is not even among the top ten of countries with the highest public debt in relation to gross domestic product in international comparison. Japan, Greece and Italy – among others – report far higher figures than the United States.

Key information about United States Total Debt: % of GDP

• United States Total Debt accounted for 722.0 % of the country's GDP in 2024, compared with the ratio of 722.0 % in the previous quarter.
• US Total Debt: % of GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1951 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 834.9 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 309.4 % in Jun 1953.

CEIC calculates quarterly Total Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Total Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Total Debt is calculated as sum of Liabilities for NonFinancial Business, Federal Government, State and Local Government, Households & Nonprofit Organizations and Financial Business less Mutual Fund Shares. Federal Reserve Board provides Total Debt in local currency. Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in local currency.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Federal Debt Held by the Public as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYPUGDA188S) from 1939 to 2023 about public, gross, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

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.

Interactive chart of historical data comparing the level of gross domestic product (GDP) with Federal Debt.

In the last quarter of 2023, the debt to equity ratio in the United States amounted to 84.24 percent. Debt to equity ratio explained The debt to equity financial ratio indicates the relationship between shareholders' equity and debt used to finance the assets of a company. In order to make the calculation the data of the two required components are taken from the firm’s balance sheet. If the company is a publicly traded company then it is possible to make the calculation by taking the market value for both.The composition of debt and equity of an enterprise is much debated as is the influence that it is able to exert on the value of the firm. Nevertheless, it is important in helping investors such as banks to identify companies that are highly leveraged and therefore pose a higher risk. It is best explained by taking the example of an entrepreneur wishing to expand their operation and going to the bank for a loan. If this small business owner had total assets amounting to 120,000 U.S. dollars and liabilities (mostly loans) amounting to 100,000 U.S. dollars the bank to which the request is being made would first have to deduce the business owner’s equity; 20,000 dollars (total assets minus liabilities). With this figure the bank would proceed to divide total liabilities by equity, which gives the ratio of 500 percent. In other terms, this means that for every one dollar of equity the small business owner has 5 dollars of debt. He is highly leveraged and therefore represents high risk to the bank.

Households Debt in the United States decreased to 70.50 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024 from 70.70 percent of GDP in the second quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United States Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Private Debt to GDP in the United States decreased to 216.50 percent in 2023 from 224.50 percent in 2022. United States Private Debt to GDP - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Total Debt to Equity for United States (TOTDTEUSQ163N) from Q1 2005 to Q3 2024 about equity, debt, and USA.

Key information about United States Debt Service Ratio: Households

• United States Debt Service Ratio: Households was reported at 8.100 % in Sep 2024
• This stayed constant from the previous number of 8.100 % for Jun 2024
• US Debt Service Ratio: Households data is updated quarterly, averaging 9.000 % from Mar 1999 to Sep 2024, with 103 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 11.600 % in Dec 2007 and a record low of 7.100 % in Mar 2021
• US Debt Service Ratio: Households data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank for International Settlements
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Banking Sector – Table RC.BIS.DSR: G2 Households (HH) and Non-Profit Institution Serving Households (NPISHs): Quarterly

Key information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• United States External Debt accounted for 93.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2023, compared with the ratio of 94.4 % in the previous year.
• US External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2003 to Dec 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 100.0 % in Dec 2020 and a record low of 60.6 % in Dec 2003.

CEIC calculates External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly External Debt and annual Nominal GDP. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides External Debt in USD based on BPM6. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. External Debt prior to 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 266.8 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 93.6 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 56.2 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 258.7 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• The country's External Debt reached 26,467,035.0 in Mar 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

In the fiscal year of 2021, total state and local government debt in the state of New York amounted to 20.07 percent of the annual Gross Domestic Product of the state. In Kentucky, this figure amounted to 22.78 percent of the state's annual GDP, the highest of any state.

The national debt of the United Stated can be found here.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by the Public as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYGFGDQ188S) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about public, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

In 2023, the gross federal debt in the United States amounted to around 93,500 U.S. dollars per capita. This is a moderate increase from the previous year, when the per capita national debt amounted to about 92,528 U.S. dollars. The total debt accrued by the U.S. annually can be accessed here. Federal debt of the United States The level of national debt held by the United States government has risen sharply in the years following the Great Recession. Federal debt is the amount of debt the federal government owes to creditors who hold assets in the form of debt securities. As with individuals and consumers, there is a common consensus among economists that holding debt is not necessarily problematic for government so long as the public debt is held at a sustainable level. Although there is no agreed upon ratio of debt to gross domestic product, the increasing debt held by the Federal Reserve has become a major part of the political discourse in the United States. Politics and the national debt In recent years, debate over the debt ceiling has been of concern to domestic politicians, the owners of federal debt, and global economy as a whole. The debt ceiling is a legislated maximum amount that national debt can reach intended to impose a degree of fiscal prudence on incumbent governments. However, as national debt has grown the debt ceiling has been reached, thus forcing legislative action by Congress. In both 2011 and 2013, new legislation was passed by Congress allowing the debt ceiling to be raised. The Budget Control Act of 2011 and the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 successively allowed the government to avoid defaulting on national debt and therefore avert a potential economic crisis.

Total Debt to Equity for United States was 84.52497 Ratio in July of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Total Debt to Equity for United States reached a record high of 110.10401 in January of 2016 and a record low of 65.51979 in April of 2007. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Total Debt to Equity for United States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Key information about United States Household Debt: % of GDP

• United States household debt accounted for 61.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 62.3 % in the previous quarter.
• US household debt to GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1999 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 85.8 % in Dec 2008 and a record low of 49.4 % in Mar 1999.

CEIC calculates quarterly Household Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Household Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Federal Reserve Board of New York provides Household Debt in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Household Debt includes Mortgages, Home Equity Revolving, Auto Loans, Bankcards, Student Loans and Others.


Related information about United States Household Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US Household Debt reached 18,036.0 USD bn in Dec 2024.
• Money Supply M2 in US increased 3.9 % YoY in Jan 2025.
• US 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.
• US Domestic Credit reached 30,648.3 USD bn in Mar 2024, representing an drop of 0.3 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 1.7 % in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 1.5 % in the previous quarter.

During the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the advanced economies of the G7 experienced a period of acute financial crises, downturns in the non-financial economy, and political instability. The governments of these countries in many cases stepped in to backstop their financial sectors and to try to stimulate their economies. The scale of these interventions was large by historical standards, with observers making comparisons to the measures of the New Deal which the U.S. undertook in the 1930s to end the Great Depression.

The bailouts of financial institutions and stimulus packages caused the government debt ratios of the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan in particular to rise sharply. The UK's government debt ratio almost doubled due to the bailouts of Northern Rock and Royal Bank of Scotland. On the other hand, the increases in government debt in the Eurozone were more measured, due to the comparative absence of stimulus spending in these countries. They would later be hit hard during the Eurozone crisis of the 2010s, when bank lending to the periphery of the Eurozone (Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Greece in particular) would trigger a sovereign debt crisis. The Canadian government, led by a Conservative premier, engaged in some fiscal stimulus to support its economy, but these packages were small in comparison to that in most other of the G7 countries.

U.S. debt to gdp ratio for 2022 was 110.39%, a 8.5% decline from 2021.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.S. debt to gdp ratio for 2021 was <strong>118.89%</strong>, a <strong>5.84% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>U.S. debt to gdp ratio for 2020 was <strong>124.73%</strong>, a <strong>24.61% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>U.S. debt to gdp ratio for 2019 was <strong>100.12%</strong>, a <strong>1.67% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year.