What is the average debt in the US?
The average debt an American owes is $104,215 across mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, credit card debt, student loan debt, and other debts like personal loans. Data from Experian breaks down the average debt a consumer holds based on type, age, credit score, and state.
The average American owed $103,358 in consumer debt in the second quarter of 2023, the latest data available, according to credit bureau Experian.
Most lenders say a DTI of 36% is acceptable, but they want to lend you money, so they're willing to cut some slack. Many financial advisors say a DTI higher than 35% means you have too much debt. Others stretch the boundaries up to the 49% mark.
| Q3 2023 | Q3 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z18–26 | $3,262 $3,262 | $2,854 $2,854 |
| Millennials27–42 | $6,521 $6,521 | $5,649 $5,649 |
| Gen X43–58 | $9,123 $9,123 | $8,134 $8,134 |
| Baby boomers59–77 | $6,642 $6,642 | $6,245 $6,245 |
Around 23% of Americans are debt free, according to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve. That figure factors in every type of debt, from credit card balances and student loans to mortgages, car loans and more. The exact definition of debt free can vary, though, depending on whom you ask.
A good goal is to be debt-free by retirement age, either 65 or earlier if you want. If you have other goals, such as taking a sabbatical or starting a business, you should make sure that your debt isn't going to hold you back.
What percentage of Americans are in debt? Just how many Americans are in debt? According to financial experts, the percentage of Americans in debt is around 80%. 8 in 10 Americans have some form of consumer debt, and the average debt in America is $38,000 not including mortgage debt.
“That's because the best balance transfer and personal loan terms are reserved for people with strong credit scores. $20,000 is a lot of credit card debt and it sounds like you're having trouble making progress,” says Rossman.
$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.
Having any credit card debt can be stressful, but $10,000 in credit card debt is a different level of stress. The average credit card interest rate is over 20%, so interest charges alone will take up a large chunk of your payments. On $10,000 in balances, you could end up paying over $2,000 per year in interest.
How many people have $50,000 in credit card debt?
Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year.
Gen X has the highest average debt balance in all categories, except for personal loans. Here's the breakdown: Credit cards: Gen X have the highest credit card balance compared to other age groups, at $8,215. Auto loans: Gen X have the highest auto loan balance, at $21,570.
| Year income | Credit card debt | No credit card debt and no emergency savings |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $50,000 | 42% | 18% |
| $50,000-$74,999 | 39% | 4% |
| $75,000-$99,999 | 38% | 4% |
| $100,000 or more | 21% | 1% |
A majority, 65%, say they live paycheck to paycheck, according to CNBC and SurveyMonkey's recent Your Money International Financial Security Survey, which polled 498 U.S. adults. That's a slight increase from last year's results, which found that 58% of Americans considered themselves to be living paycheck to paycheck.
What percentage of America is debt-free? According to that same Experian study, less than 25% of American households are debt-free. This figure may be small for a variety of reasons, particularly because of the high number of home mortgages and auto loans many Americans have.
But with nearly two-thirds of retirement-age Americans having paid off their mortgages, it means that the average age they have gotten rid of that debt is likely in their early 60s. Stats from 538.com, for example, suggest the age is around 63.
You should aim to have everything paid off, from student loans to credit card debt, by age 45, O'Leary says. "The reason I say 45 is the turning point, or in your 40s, is because think about a career: Most careers start in early 20s and end in the mid-60s," O'Leary says.
| Generation | Average total debt (2023) | Average total debt (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Millenial (27-42) | $125,047 | $115,784 |
| Gen X (43-57) | $157,556 | $154,658 |
| Baby Boomer (58-77) | $94,880 | $96,087 |
| Silent Generation (78+) | $38,600 | $39,345 |
Key Takeaways. Net worth is the difference between the values of your assets and liabilities. The average American net worth is $1,063,700, as of 2022. Net worth averages increase with age from $183,500 for those 35 and under to $1,794,600 for those 65 to 74.
In terms of savings accounts specifically, you'll likely find different estimates from different sources. The average American has $65,100 in savings — excluding retirement assets — according to Northwestern Mutual's 2023 Planning & Progress Study. That's a 5% increase over the $62,000 reported in 2022.
What country has the highest debt?
At the top is Japan, whose national debt has remained above 100% of its GDP for two decades, reaching 255% in 2023.
- Take advantage of a debt relief service.
- Consolidate your debt with a home equity loan.
- Take advantage of 0% balance transfer credit cards.
Generally speaking, a good debt-to-income ratio is anything less than or equal to 36%. Meanwhile, any ratio above 43% is considered too high. The biggest piece of your DTI ratio pie is bound to be your monthly mortgage payment.
It will take 24 months to pay off $2,000 with payments of $100 per month, assuming the average credit card APR of around 18%. The time it takes to repay a balance depends on how often you make payments, how big your payments are and what the interest rate charged by the lender is.
The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.
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