Total Household Debt
Total outstanding U.S. household debt
Where the Total Household Debt stands now
The Total Household Debt was $18.77 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, down from the $18.78 trillion peak in the first quarter of 2026. It has been higher than a year earlier for 51 quarters in a row, though it dipped from that peak.
What it means for households: Consumer Debt Statistics Behind on payments? Your Rights with Debt Collectors
How the Total Household Debt has moved since 2003
Total Household Debt: up since 2021, near the highest in data back to 2003
Total U.S. household debt, trillions: $18.77 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, up from $18.39 trillion a year earlier. Quarterly, 2003–2026.
What the Total Household Debt measures
Total Household Debt by quarter, 2003 to 2026
| Quarter | Amount | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | $18.77T | +$0.38T |
| Q1 2026 | $18.78T | +$0.58T |
| Q4 2025 | $18.78T | +$0.74T |
| Q3 2025 | $18.58T | +$0.64T |
| Q2 2025 | $18.39T | +$0.59T |
| Q1 2025 | $18.2T | +$0.51T |
| Q4 2024 | $18.04T | +$0.54T |
| Q3 2024 | $17.94T | +$0.65T |
| Q2 2024 | $17.8T | +$0.74T |
| Q1 2024 | $17.69T | +$0.64T |
| Q4 2023 | $17.5T | +$0.6T |
| Q3 2023 | $17.29T | +$0.78T |
| Q2 2023 | $17.06T | +$0.91T |
| Q1 2023 | $17.05T | +$1.21T |
| Q4 2022 | $16.9T | +$1.32T |
| Q3 2022 | $16.51T | +$1.27T |
| Q2 2022 | $16.15T | +$1.19T |
| Q1 2022 | $15.84T | +$1.2T |
| Q4 2021 | $15.58T | +$1.02T |
| Q3 2021 | $15.24T | +$0.89T |
| Q2 2021 | $14.96T | +$0.69T |
| Q1 2021 | $14.64T | +$0.34T |
| Q4 2020 | $14.56T | +$0.41T |
| Q3 2020 | $14.35T | +$0.4T |
| Q2 2020 | $14.27T | +$0.41T |
| Q1 2020 | $14.3T | +$0.63T |
| Q4 2019 | $14.15T | +$0.61T |
| Q3 2019 | $13.95T | +$0.44T |
| Q2 2019 | $13.86T | +$0.57T |
| Q1 2019 | $13.67T | +$0.46T |
| Q4 2018 | $13.54T | +$0.39T |
| Q3 2018 | $13.51T | +$0.56T |
| Q2 2018 | $13.29T | +$0.45T |
| Q1 2018 | $13.21T | +$0.49T |
| Q4 2017 | $13.15T | +$0.57T |
| Q3 2017 | $12.95T | +$0.6T |
| Q2 2017 | $12.84T | +$0.55T |
| Q1 2017 | $12.72T | +$0.47T |
| Q4 2016 | $12.58T | +$0.46T |
| Q3 2016 | $12.35T | +$0.29T |
| Q2 2016 | $12.29T | +$0.44T |
| Q1 2016 | $12.25T | +$0.4T |
| Q4 2015 | $12.12T | +$0.29T |
| Q3 2015 | $12.06T | +$0.35T |
| Q2 2015 | $11.85T | +$0.22T |
| Q1 2015 | $11.85T | +$0.2T |
| Q4 2014 | $11.83T | +$0.31T |
| Q3 2014 | $11.71T | +$0.43T |
| Q2 2014 | $11.63T | +$0.48T |
| Q1 2014 | $11.65T | +$0.42T |
| Q4 2013 | $11.52T | +$0.18T |
| Q3 2013 | $11.28T | −$0.03T |
| Q2 2013 | $11.15T | −$0.23T |
| Q1 2013 | $11.23T | −$0.21T |
| Q4 2012 | $11.34T | −$0.2T |
| Q3 2012 | $11.31T | −$0.35T |
| Q2 2012 | $11.38T | −$0.35T |
| Q1 2012 | $11.44T | −$0.31T |
| Q4 2011 | $11.54T | −$0.17T |
| Q3 2011 | $11.66T | −$0.18T |
| Q2 2011 | $11.73T | −$0.21T |
| Q1 2011 | $11.75T | −$0.37T |
| Q4 2010 | $11.71T | −$0.46T |
| Q3 2010 | $11.84T | −$0.44T |
| Q2 2010 | $11.94T | −$0.47T |
| Q1 2010 | $12.12T | −$0.41T |
| Q4 2009 | $12.17T | −$0.5T |
| Q3 2009 | $12.28T | −$0.4T |
| Q2 2009 | $12.41T | −$0.19T |
| Q1 2009 | $12.53T | −$0.01T |
| Q4 2008 | $12.67T | +$0.3T |
| Q3 2008 | $12.68T | +$0.55T |
| Q2 2008 | $12.6T | +$0.75T |
| Q1 2008 | $12.54T | +$1.04T |
| Q4 2007 | $12.37T | +$1.06T |
| Q3 2007 | $12.13T | +$1.02T |
| Q2 2007 | $11.85T | +$1.1T |
| Q1 2007 | $11.5T | +$1.12T |
| Q4 2006 | $11.31T | +$1.31T |
| Q3 2006 | $11.11T | +$1.32T |
| Q2 2006 | $10.75T | +$1.26T |
| Q1 2006 | $10.38T | +$1.17T |
| Q4 2005 | $10T | +$0.96T |
| Q3 2005 | $9.79T | +$0.96T |
| Q2 2005 | $9.49T | +$1.03T |
| Q1 2005 | $9.21T | +$0.92T |
| Q4 2004 | $9.04T | +$0.97T |
| Q3 2004 | $8.83T | +$1.27T |
| Q2 2004 | $8.46T | +$1.08T |
| Q1 2004 | $8.29T | +$1.06T |
| Q4 2003 | $8.07T | — |
| Q3 2003 | $7.56T | — |
| Q2 2003 | $7.38T | — |
| Q1 2003 | $7.23T | — |
Quarterly · New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax
Counties with the highest safety net and buffer scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the safety net and buffer part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choctaw County, OK | 94.8 |
| 2 | Stewart County, GA | 94.2 |
| 3 | Noxubee County, MS | 94.2 |
| 4 | Hudspeth County, TX | 94 |
| 5 | Brooks County, TX | 94 |
| 6 | Lake County, TN | 94 |
| 7 | Duval County, TX | 93.9 |
| 8 | Ripley County, MO | 93.5 |
| 9 | Dunklin County, MO | 93.3 |
| 10 | Quitman County, GA | 93.2 |
Questions about the Total Household Debt
How much debt do U.S. households owe?
The New York Fed puts total household debt at $18.77 trillion for the second quarter of 2026, up from $18.39 trillion a year earlier. Mortgages are the largest part; credit cards, auto loans, student loans, home equity lines and other loans make up the rest.
Is household debt at a record high?
Not in the latest quarter. Of 94 quarters since 2003, it ranks third highest in dollar terms. A record in dollars says little by itself, because prices, incomes and the population all grow over time. The highest was $18.78 trillion, in the first quarter of 2026.
Is this the same as the Federal Reserve's household debt number?
No. The Fed's Financial Accounts count households and nonprofit organizations together and are seasonally adjusted, so their total is larger and can move differently in a given quarter. The New York Fed says its figures line up with two parts of that series, home mortgages and consumer credit.
Where does household debt data come from?
The New York Fed's Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, built from the New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel, a nationally representative random sample of Equifax credit reports. It comes out about five to six weeks after each quarter ends.
Sources and method for the Total Household Debt
- New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax We use the quarterly figures as published, from the first quarter of 2003 through the second quarter of 2026, with no adjustment of our own. Federal Reserve Bank of New York doesn’t adjust this amount for the season, so compare a quarter with the same quarter a year earlier. Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.