The Daily LedgerSection
The Debt
The national debt stands at $40.28 trillion. Here is what that number means, how it got here, and where it is going.
Explainer | Debt
How big is the U.S. national debt?
The $40 trillion figure, what it includes, and how it is measured.
Explainer | Deficit
What is the federal deficit, and how is it different from the debt?
The two most confused words in fiscal policy, untangled.
Explainer | Debt
What is the debt ceiling?
The statutory limit on federal borrowing, and what happens around it.
Explainer | Debt
Who does the U.S. owe money to?
Japan, the UK, China, and the biggest holder of all: Americans themselves.
Interactive | Live
U.S. National Debt Clock
The debt, ticking live at about $93,673 per second.
Data | History
Debt-to-GDP ratio: history and tracker
From 1966 to today: the debt measured against the economy.
Data | History
National debt by president: the timeline
Treasury figures from Reagan to today. Numbers only, no blame.
Explainer | Analysis
Does the national debt matter?
Four arguments it does, four arguments economists worry less. You decide.
Interactive
Debt per person calculator
Enter your household size. Arithmetic perspective, not a bill.
Data | Interest
Interest on the national debt: the live tracker
The U.S. pays over $1 trillion a year in interest on the debt, about $33,000 every second. See how it compares to defense, Medicare, and Social Security.