The National Debt by the Numbers
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The National Debt by the Numbers
The U.S. national debt recently crossed another milestone. Here are five numbers that put it in perspective.
Total U.S. National Debt
The gross national debt surpassed $36 trillion in late 2025 and has continued climbing. To put that in context, the debt was $10 trillion in 2008 — meaning it has more than tripled in under two decades. The pace of accumulation has accelerated sharply since 2020.
Source: U.S. Treasury — Debt to the Penny
Debt Per U.S. Citizen
Divide the national debt by the roughly 336 million people living in the United States and every man, woman, and child "owes" about $107,000. Of course, debt per citizen isn't how federal borrowing actually works — but it's a useful mental anchor for the sheer scale involved.
Source: U.S. Debt Clock
Debt-to-GDP Ratio
The debt-to-GDP ratio measures how a country's borrowing compares to its economic output. The U.S. ratio has hovered around 120% recently, a level last seen during World War II. Economists debate what ratio becomes "dangerous," but most agree that sustained levels above 100% limit fiscal flexibility during future crises.
Source: Congressional Budget Office — Budget and Economic Outlook
Annual Interest Payments
Net interest on the federal debt is now one of the largest line items in the federal budget, rivaling defense spending. Higher interest rates over the past few years mean the government is paying significantly more to service existing debt. Every dollar spent on interest is a dollar unavailable for infrastructure, education, or tax relief.
Source: U.S. Treasury — Monthly Treasury Statement
Avg. Interest Rate on Federal Debt
The weighted average interest rate on outstanding federal debt has climbed from historic lows near 1.5% in 2021 to above 4% today. Because much of the debt is short-term and must be regularly refinanced, higher rates flow through to the budget faster than many people realize.
Source: Treasury Direct — Average Interest Rates on U.S. Treasury Securities