In September 2024, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 35.46 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.

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

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DAY ~11,000 (April 1st, 1993 to Present-Day)

This is a dataset that tracks several figures regarding US debt (to the penny) since 1993.

All data are official figures from the U.S. Treasury that have been compiled and structured by myself. Dates on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), as well as federal holidays, are excluded from the debt tracker because the Treasury's fiscal data do not account for those days. Recent political debates in the US over the potential raising of the debt ceiling has inspired me to create this dataset. Personally, I believe that the issue will continue to dominate political discourse due to the increasing polarization between Democrats and Republicans.

Data Sources

The primary data source used was the U.S. Treasury's official website, which publishes fiscal data pertaining to the American government. Considering the meticulous documentation of federal spending by the Treasury, no other authority is more equipped to provide insight on US debt.

1. U.S. Treasury's FiscalData Website - The United States Department of the Treasury published daily updates on the national debt since April 1st, 1993. However, intragovernmental holdings and total public debt outstanding have only been accounted for at the end of each fiscal year since 1997. Daily updates for those two statistics officially began since March 31st, 2005.
2. U.S. Treasury's Finance Guide to the National Debt - The United States Department of the Treasury released a detailed overview of the national debt and how it operates in conjunction with American society. The guide mainly provided essential contextual knowledge needed to create a meaningful dataset.

Statistics Being Tracked

• Debt Held by the Public
• Intragovernmental Holdings
• Total Public Debt Outstanding

Dataset History

2023-02-17 - Dataset is created (10,914 days after temporal coverage start date).

GitHub Repository - The same data but on GitHub.

Code Starter

Link to Notebook Important: Each new record is accumulated data from previous days.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt: Total Public Debt (GFDEBTN) from Q1 1966 to Q2 2025 about public, debt, federal, government, and USA.

The national debt of Sweden amounted to 201.96 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1993 and 2024, the national debt rose by 96.98 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by 49.85 billion U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

The national debt of the Philippines was about ************** U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1993 and 2024, the national debt rose by approximately ************** U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by around ************** U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

The long-term interest rate on government debt is a key indicator of the economic health of a country. The rate reflects financial market actors' perceptions of the creditworthiness of the government and the health of the domestic economy, with a strong and robust economic outlook allowing governments to borrow for essential investments in their economies, thereby boosting long-term growth.

The Euro and converging interest rates in the early 2000s

In the case of many Eurozone countries, the early 2000s were a time where this virtuous cycle of economic growth reduced the interest rates they paid on government debt to less than 5 percent, a dramatic change from the pre-Euro era of the 1990s. With the outbreak of the Global Financial Crisis and the subsequent deep recession, however, the economies of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland were seen to be much weaker than previously assumed by lenders. Interest rates on their debt gradually began to rise during the crisis, before rapidly increasing beginning in 2010, as first Greece and then Ireland and Portugal lost the faith of financial markets.

The Eurozone crisis

This market adjustment was initially triggered due to revelations by the Greek government that the country's budget deficit was much larger than had been previously expected, with investors seeing the country as an unreliable debtor. The crisis, which became known as the Eurozone crisis, spread to Ireland and then Portugal, as lenders cut-off lending to highly indebted Eurozone members with weak fundamentals. During this period there was also intense speculation that due to unsustainable debt loads, some countries would have to leave the Euro currency area, further increasing the interest on their debt. Interest rates on their debt began to come back down after ECB Chief Mario Draghi signaled to markets that the central bank would intervene to keep the states within the currency area in his famous "whatever it takes" speech in Summer 2012.

The return of higher interest rates in the post-COVID era

Since this period of extremely high interest rates on government debt for these member states, the interest they are charged for borrowing has shrunk considerably, as the financial markets were flooded with "cheap money" due to the policy measures of central banks in the aftermath of the financial crisis, such as near-zero policy rates and quantitative easing. As interest rates have risen to combat inflation since 2022, so have the interest rates on government debt in the Eurozone also risen, however, these rises are modest compared to during the Eurozone crisis.

United States Illinois: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 28,164,799.000 USD th in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 27,797,075.000 USD th for 2014. United States Illinois: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 27,768,195.000 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32,356,974.000 USD th in 2008 and a record low of 15,685,718.000 USD th in 1993. United States Illinois: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

United States Maryland: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 12,391,931.000 USD th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12,787,417.000 USD th for 2014. United States Maryland: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 9,771,659.500 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,006,315.000 USD th in 2008 and a record low of 7,340,652.000 USD th in 1993. United States Maryland: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

The national debt of Namibia was estimated at ************ U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1993 and 2024, the national debt rose by ************ U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by ************ U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

United States New York: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 50,781,904.000 USD th in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 51,891,919.000 USD th for 2015. United States New York: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 42,710,338.000 USD th from Mar 1993 (Median) to 2016, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 70,361,787.000 USD th in 2011 and a record low of 27,540,751.000 USD th in 1993. United States New York: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

The national debt of Bhutan amounted to ************ U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1993 and 2024, the national debt rose by ************ U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by ************ U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

United States Vermont: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 1,424,061.000 USD th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,476,357.000 USD th for 2014. United States Vermont: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 1,450,209.000 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,872,179.000 USD th in 2010 and a record low of 753,782.000 USD th in 1993. United States Vermont: Debt Outstanding: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

Graph and download economic data for Amount Outstanding of International Debt Securities for Issuers in General Government Sector, All Maturities, Nationality of Issuer in United States (DISCONTINUED) (IDSGGGAMNIAOUS) from Q3 1993 to Q2 2015 about maturity, sector, debt, securities, government, and USA.

The national debt of the Philippines was 266 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1993 and 2024, the national debt rose by 243.92 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by 157.35 billion U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

United States Rhode Island: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 5,018,290.000 USD th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5,296,766.000 USD th for 2014. United States Rhode Island: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 4,129,191.500 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,428,800.000 USD th in 2013 and a record low of 2,903,690.000 USD th in 1993. United States Rhode Island: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

In 2024, the U.S. GDP increased from the previous year to about 29.18 trillion U.S. dollars. Gross domestic product (GDP) refers to the market value of all goods and services produced within a country. In 2024, the United States has the largest economy in the world. What is GDP? Gross domestic product is one of the most important indicators used to analyze the health of an economy. GDP is defined by the BEA as the market value of goods and services produced by labor and property in the United States, regardless of nationality. It is the primary measure of U.S. production. The OECD defines GDP as an aggregate measure of production equal to the sum of the gross values added of all resident, institutional units engaged in production (plus any taxes, and minus any subsidies, on products not included in the value of their outputs). GDP and national debt Although the United States had the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the world in 2022, this does not tell us much about the quality of life in any given country. GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) is an economic measurement that is thought to be a better method for comparing living standards across countries because it accounts for domestic inflation and variations in the cost of living. While the United States might have the largest economy, the country that ranked highest in terms of GDP at PPP was Luxembourg, amounting to around 141,333 international dollars per capita. Singapore, Ireland, and Qatar also ranked highly on the GDP PPP list, and the United States ranked 9th in 2022.

United States New Jersey: Debt Outstanding:LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 15,712,353.000 USD th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15,796,190.000 USD th for 2014. United States New Jersey: Debt Outstanding:LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 14,749,432.500 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16,648,244.000 USD th in 2012 and a record low of 11,237,568.000 USD th in 1993. United States New Jersey: Debt Outstanding:LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

United States Massachusetts: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data was reported at 22,885,067.000 USD th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23,193,089.000 USD th for 2014. United States Massachusetts: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data is updated yearly, averaging 24,706,792.000 USD th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34,853,301.000 USD th in 2009 and a record low of 12,918,065.000 USD th in 1993. United States Massachusetts: Debt Outst: LT: By Purpose: Public Debt for Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F008: Debt Outstanding: State and Local Government: By State.

Graph and download economic data for Amount Outstanding Due within One Year of International Debt Securities for Financial Corporations Sector, Nationality of Issuer in United States (DISCONTINUED) (IDS1MNIAOFCUS) from Q3 1993 to Q2 2015 about 1-year, finance companies, companies, finance, sector, debt, financial, securities, and USA.