US debt held by the public, 1997 to 2026
About this statistic
US debt held by the public stood at $31.71T in 2026, up 0.1% on the previous period.
US debt held by the public, directly from the U.S. Treasury's own books via its Fiscal Data service. These are the government's operating numbers, not estimates: the outstanding balance from the Treasury's daily accounting. Since 1997 the series has ranged from $3.33 trillion (2001) to $31.71 trillion (2026); the latest reading is $31.71 trillion for 2026, up from $31.68 trillion the period before.
Treasury data follows the federal fiscal year (October through September), so annual comparisons off calendar years can mislead by a quarter.
Frequently asked questions
How current is this data?
The Treasury publishes on a monthly statement cycle with daily debt figures. Kitegraph refreshes on release, so the latest month appears shortly after the Treasury posts it.
Is this the same as the debt ceiling number?
Total public debt outstanding is the figure measured against the statutory debt limit. Debt held by the public excludes intragovernmental holdings and is the economists' preferred burden measure.
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