Total household debt in the US increased by $18 billion from the prior quarter to a new record high of $18.8 trillion in Q1 2026. Mortgage balances grew by $21 billion to $13.19 trillion, and auto loan balances increased by $18 billion to $1.69 trillion. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances increased by $12 billion to $446 billion, while student loan balances decreased by $6 billion to $1.66 trillion. Credit card balances fell by $25 billion to $1.25 trillion. "Aggregate household debt levels rose slightly, with modest increases in most debt types offsetting a seasonal decline in credit card balances,” said Daniel Mangrum, Research Economist at the New York Fed. “Delinquency transition rates were mostly steady, while student loan delinquencies are returning to pre-pandemic levels.". source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Debt Balance Total in the United States increased to 18.79 USD Trillion in the first quarter of 2026 from 18.78 USD Trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025. Debt Balance Total in the United States averaged 12.91 USD Trillion from 2003 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 18.79 USD Trillion in the first quarter of 2026 and a record low of 7.23 USD Trillion in the first quarter of 2003. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Debt Balance Total. United States Debt Balance Total - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-10 04:00 PM
Total Household Debt
Q4 $18.8T $18.59T
2026-05-12 03:00 PM
Total Household Debt
Q1 $18.8T $18.8T
2026-08-04 03:00 PM
Total Household Debt
Q2 $18.8T



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Credit Card Accounts 647.96 648.10 Million Mar 2026
Debt Balance Auto Loans 1.69 1.67 Trillion USD Mar 2026
Debt Balance Credit Cards 1.25 1.28 Trillion USD Mar 2026
Debt Balance Mortgages 13.19 13.17 Trillion USD Mar 2026
Debt Balance Student Loans 1.66 1.66 Trillion USD Mar 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Total Household Debt 18.79 18.78 USD Trillion Mar 2026
Mortgage Originations 529.80 524.42 Billion USD Mar 2026


United States Debt Balance Total
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Household Debt and Credit Report provides unique data and insight into the credit conditions and activity of U.S. consumers. Based on data from the New York Fed's Consumer Credit Panel, a nationally representative sample drawn from anonymized Equifax credit data, the report provides a quarterly snapshot of household trends in borrowing and indebtedness, including data about mortgages, student loans, credit cards, auto loans and delinquencies.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
18.79 18.78 18.79 7.23 2003 - 2026 USD Trillion Quarterly
Current Prices, NSA

News Stream
US Household Debt Rises Slightly
Total household debt in the US increased by $18 billion from the prior quarter to a new record high of $18.8 trillion in Q1 2026. Mortgage balances grew by $21 billion to $13.19 trillion, and auto loan balances increased by $18 billion to $1.69 trillion. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances increased by $12 billion to $446 billion, while student loan balances decreased by $6 billion to $1.66 trillion. Credit card balances fell by $25 billion to $1.25 trillion. "Aggregate household debt levels rose slightly, with modest increases in most debt types offsetting a seasonal decline in credit card balances,” said Daniel Mangrum, Research Economist at the New York Fed. “Delinquency transition rates were mostly steady, while student loan delinquencies are returning to pre-pandemic levels."
2026-05-12
US Household Debt Hits Fresh Record
Total household debt in the US increased by $191 billion from the prior quarter to a new record high of $18.8 trillion in Q4 2025. Mortgage balances grew by $98 billion to $13.17 trillion, and credit card balances rose by $44 billion to $1.28 trillion. Auto loan balances increased by $12 billion to $1.67 trillion. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances increased by $11.6 billion to $434 billion while student loan balances rose by $11 billion to $1.66 trillion. “As household debt levels grow modestly, mortgage delinquencies continue to increase,” said Wilbert van der Klaauw, Economic Research Advisor at the New York Fed. “Delinquency rates for mortgages are near historically normal levels, but the deterioration is concentrated in lower-income areas and in areas with declining home prices.”
2026-02-10
US Household Debt Rises to New Record
Total household debt in the US increased by $197 billion from the prior quarter to a new record high of $18.59 trillion in Q3 2025. Mortgage balances grew by $137 billion to $13.07 trillion, and credit card balances rose by $24 billion to $1.23 trillion. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances rose by $11 billion to $422 billion. Student loan balances rose by $15 billion to $1.65 trillion. Auto loan balances held steady at $1.66 trillion. The pace of mortgage originations increased, with $512 billion newly originated in the third quarter. “Household debt balances are growing at a moderate pace, with delinquency rates stabilizing,” said Donghoon Lee, Economic Research Advisor at the New York Fed. “The relatively low mortgage delinquency rates reflect the housing market’s resilience, driven by ample home equity and tight underwriting standards.”
2025-11-05