In September 2023, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 33.17 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 85,552 U.S. dollars in 2021. As represented by the statistic above, the public debt of the United States has been continuously rising.

U.S. public debt Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. In the case of the U.S., national debt is owed by the federal government to Treasury security holders. Generally speaking, government debt increases with government spending, and can be decreased through taxes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government increased spending significantly to finance virus infrastructure, aid, and various forms of economic relief.

International public debt

Venezuela leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2021. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Venezuela's public debt amounted to around 306.95 percent of GDP. Eritrea was ranked fifth, with an estimated debt of 170 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 87 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2027, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland.

Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of the 4th quarter of 2020 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany ranked 13th in the EU, with its national debt amounting to 69 percent of GDP in the same time period.

Tuvalu was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2021 in relation to the GDP, while Macao had an estimated level of national debt of zero percent, the lowest of any country. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt: Total Public Debt (GFDEBTN) from Q1 1966 to Q1 2025 about public, debt, federal, government, and USA.

In October 2024, the public debt of the United States was around 35.46 trillion U.S. dollars, a slight decrease from the previous month. The U.S. public debt ceiling has become one of the most prominent political issues in the States in recent years, with debate over how to handle it causing political turmoil between Democrats and Republicans. The public debt The public debt of the United States has risen quickly since 2000, and in 2022 was more than five times higher than in 2000. The public debt is the total outstanding debt that is owed by the federal government. This figure comprises debt owed to the public (for example, through bonds) and intergovernmental debt (debt owed to various governmental departments), such as Social Security. Debt in Politics The debt issue has become a highly contentious topic within the U.S. government. Measures such as stimulus packages, social programs and tax cuts add to the public debt. Additionally, spending tends to peak during large global events, such as the Great Depression, the 2008 financial crisis, or the COVID-19 pandemic - all of which had a detrimental impact on the U.S. economy. Although both major political parties in the U.S. tend to blame one another for increases in the country's debt, a recent analysis found that both parties have contributed almost equally to national expenditure. Debate on raising the debt ceiling, or the amount of debt the federal government is allowed to have at any one time, was a leading topic in the government shutdown in October 2013. Despite plans from both Democrats and Republicans on how to lower the national debt, it is only expected to increase over the next decade.

Summarizes the U.S. government's total outstanding debt at the end of each fiscal year from 1789 to the current year.

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.

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.

This table contains 13 series, with data for years 1867 - 31-MAR-08 not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and was last released on 2009-08-28. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...), Government debt (13 items: Gross federal government debt;Marketable bonds;Treasury bills;Unmatured debt ...).

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.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. debt to gdp ratio by year from 1989 to 2023.

The statistic shows the national debt of the United States from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. The amount of the debt of the United States amounted to around 35.25 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. National debt of the United States National debt in the United States is a topic of much debate and controversy, primarily due to large amounts of unnecessary spending. Despite the fact that the United States had the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world in 2016, along with being one of the most developed powerhouses in the world, the country suffers in many economical aspects. When analyzing the country’s imports and exports, the United States has recorded a trade deficit for more than a decade as of 2015, meaning that its imports exceeded its exports every year. However, despite being significantly affected by the world economic crisis in 2008, the country’s trade balance noticeably improved in 2009, almost halving the country’s total trade deficit. An economical aspect that did not improve during the world economic crisis was the country’s unemployment rate. The number of unemployed in the United States increased greatly in 2009 and continued to rise in 2010, however finally stabilized in the following years and has since declined yearly. When considering the total population of the United States, which amounted to roughly 322 million in 2015, a large percentage of citizens, who are capable of work, have been left without a job for roughly 7 years.

United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: Average Length data was reported at 5.420 Year in Jun 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5.420 Year for May 2018. United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: Average Length data is updated monthly, averaging 5.000 Year from Dec 1994 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 283 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.000 Year in Jun 2001 and a record low of 3.830 Year in Dec 2008. United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: Average Length data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F004: Federal Debt.

United States Federal Debt: Public Debt Securities: Interest Expenses data was reported at 31.648 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.981 USD bn for Sep 2018. United States Federal Debt: Public Debt Securities: Interest Expenses data is updated monthly, averaging 22.310 USD bn from Oct 1997 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 253 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 110.973 USD bn in Jun 2008 and a record low of -52.817 USD bn in Jul 2012. United States Federal Debt: Public Debt Securities: Interest Expenses data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F004: Federal Debt. A onetime adjustment of $75 USD BN decreased the interest expense on public debt data for the month of July 2012 causing the value to be negative. Adjustment was made due to the change in the accounting method for the Department of Defense (DOD) market based securities.

United States - Federal Debt Held by Federal Reserve Banks as Percent of Gross Domestic Product was 15.57646 % of GDP in October of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Federal Debt Held by Federal Reserve Banks as Percent of Gross Domestic Product reached a record high of 24.80604 in January of 2022 and a record low of 3.19887 in July of 2008. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Federal Debt Held by Federal Reserve Banks as Percent of Gross Domestic Product - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFSGDA188S) from 1929 to 2024 about budget, federal, GDP, and USA.

United States Assets: Outs: FED: Debt Securities (DS) data was reported at 0.493 USD bn in Mar 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.493 USD bn for Dec 2017. United States Assets: Outs: FED: Debt Securities (DS) data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 USD bn from Dec 1951 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 266 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 196.967 USD bn in Dec 2009 and a record low of 0.000 USD bn in Jun 2008. United States Assets: Outs: FED: Debt Securities (DS) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Board. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.AB009: Funds by Sector: Flows and Outstanding: Federal Government.

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.

Key information about New Zealand National Government Debt

• New Zealand National Government Debt reached 111.4 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with 118.8 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• New Zealand National Government Debt data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2006 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 118.8 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 21.4 USD bn in Sep 2008.

CEIC converts quarterly Government Debt into USD. The Treasury provides Government Debt in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Government Debt covers Sovereign Guaranteed Debt only.


Related information about New Zealand National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, New Zealand Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 1.0 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 44.3 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024.
• New Zealand Nominal GDP reached 62.0 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Federal Public Debt: Maturities: Up to 12 Months data was reported at 617.359 BRL bn in Apr 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 642.847 BRL bn for Mar 2019. Federal Public Debt: Maturities: Up to 12 Months data is updated monthly, averaging 485.261 BRL bn from Nov 2006 (Median) to Apr 2019, with 150 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 759.910 BRL bn in Jun 2018 and a record low of 309.304 BRL bn in Aug 2008. Federal Public Debt: Maturities: Up to 12 Months data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Treasury Secretariat. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table BR.FC005: Federal Public Debt: Held by the Public: by Maturities. This data is part of the Monthly Report of Federal Public Debt from National Treasury. Displays information about emissions, redemptions, stock, maturity profile and average cost to the Federal Public Debt, including both the internal and external debts, responsibility of the National Treasury market.

As of December 2024, Japan held United States treasury securities totaling about 1.06 trillion U.S. dollars. Foreign holders of United States treasury debt According to the Federal Reserve and U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of 8.5 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. treasury securities as of December 2024. Of the total held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions, with China holding 759 billion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. The U.S. public debt In 2023, the United States had a total public national debt of 33.2 trillion U.S. dollars, an amount that has been rising steadily, particularly since 2008. In 2023, the total interest expense on debt held by the public of the United States reached 678 billion U.S. dollars, while 197 billion U.S. dollars in interest expense were intra governmental debt holdings. Total outlays of the U.S. government were 6.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. By 2029, spending is projected to reach 8.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

Federal Public Debt: Maturities: 2 to 3 years data was reported at 597.243 BRL bn in Apr 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 651.310 BRL bn for Mar 2019. Federal Public Debt: Maturities: 2 to 3 years data is updated monthly, averaging 280.822 BRL bn from Nov 2006 (Median) to Apr 2019, with 150 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 727.126 BRL bn in Sep 2018 and a record low of 132.181 BRL bn in Sep 2008. Federal Public Debt: Maturities: 2 to 3 years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Treasury Secretariat. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table BR.FC005: Federal Public Debt: Held by the Public: by Maturities. This data is part of the Monthly Report of Federal Public Debt from National Treasury. Displays information about emissions, redemptions, stock, maturity profile and average cost to the Federal Public Debt, including both the internal and external debts, responsibility of the National Treasury market.