US National Debt (Live)
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for January 2026. Counter shows current estimate)
Total Debt
Daily Increase
Per Citizen
Understanding US National Debt (Live)
This counter tracks the U.S. national debt in real-time, which grows by approximately $92,912 every second. As of January 7, 2026, the national debt stands at $38.43 trillion, having increased by $2.93 trillion in the past year.
The national debt represents the total amount of money the federal government owes to creditors, including domestic and foreign investors, the Federal Reserve, and government trust funds like Social Security.
At the current rate, each American citizen's share of the national debt is approximately $112,966, while each household's share exceeds $285,127.
Understanding the National Debt
- The debt-to-GDP ratio currently stands at approximately 122%, meaning the national debt exceeds the entire annual economic output of the United States.
- Interest payments on the national debt have become one of the largest federal expenditures, exceeding $1 trillion annually.
- Foreign nations hold approximately $7.9 trillion of U.S. debt, with Japan and China being the largest foreign creditors.
- The debt ceiling has been raised or suspended over 100 times since 1917, allowing continued government borrowing.
Largest Holders of U.S. Debt
- Federal Reserve: $5.0 trillion
- U.S. Government Trust Funds: $6.9 trillion
- Japan: $1.1 trillion
- China: $770 billion
- United Kingdom: $700 billion
Debt Growth by Decade
- 1990: $3.2 trillion
- 2000: $5.7 trillion
- 2010: $13.6 trillion
- 2020: $27.7 trillion
- 2026: $38.4 trillion
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
The debt figure is sourced from the U.S. Treasury's 'Debt to the Penny' data, updated daily.
The growth rate is calculated based on the $2.93 trillion annual increase reported by the Joint Economic Committee.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout US National Debt (Live)
The US national debt increases by approximately $92,912 every second, $8.03 billion per day, and $2.93 trillion per year based on current projections from the Congressional Budget Office.
As of 2026, the national debt per citizen is approximately $112,966. Per household, this figure rises to about $285,127. These numbers continue to grow as the debt increases.
The majority of US debt is held domestically: the Federal Reserve owns about $5 trillion, while government trust funds hold $6.9 trillion. Foreign nations hold approximately $7.9 trillion, with Japan and China being the largest foreign creditors.