What is the average debt by age in the US?

Average total debt varies by age: Americans under 35 carry about $67,400; ages 35-44 carry $134,400; ages 45-54 carry $134,700; ages 55-64 carry $108,300; ages 65-74 carry $66,000; and those 75+ carry $34,500. Middle-aged Americans carry the most debt due to mortgages, auto loans, and student loans.

What age group has the most debt?

Americans aged 35-54 carry the most debt on average, primarily due to mortgage balances, car loans, and residual student loans. The 45-54 age group often has the highest individual debt loads given home equity buildup alongside remaining mortgage principal.

Is it normal to have debt in your 30s?

Yes — mortgage debt, auto loans, and remaining student loans make it very common to carry significant debt in your 30s and 40s. The key is whether the debt is productive (mortgage building equity, education that boosted earnings) versus consumer debt with high interest rates.

How do I know if I have too much debt?

A debt-to-income (DTI) ratio above 36% is generally considered high. To calculate yours: add up all monthly debt payments and divide by gross monthly income. Over 43% DTI makes it difficult to qualify for most mortgages and signals financial stress.

Average Debt by Age in the US (2026 Data)

The average American carries significant debt across multiple categories — mortgage, auto, student loans, and credit cards. Where you stand relative to your age group reveals whether your debt load is typical or a cause for concern.

Average Total Debt by Age Group

Age Group	Average Total Debt	Median Total Debt
Under 35	$67,400	$28,900
35-44	$134,400	$60,800
45-54	$134,700	$60,300
55-64	$108,300	$47,900
65-74	$66,000	$24,200
75+	$34,500	$9,400

Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances. Averages are skewed upward by high-debt households; medians are more representative.

Debt by Type and Age Group

Mortgage Debt (Largest Component)

Age Group	% With Mortgage	Avg Mortgage Balance
Under 35	37%	$192,000
35-44	57%	$241,000
45-54	55%	$211,000
55-64	46%	$175,000
65-74	34%	$142,000
75+	18%	$112,000

Student Loan Debt

Age Group	% With Student Loans	Avg Balance
Under 35	38%	$33,500
35-44	26%	$42,000
45-54	17%	$40,500
55-64	9%	$37,800
65+	3%	$29,000

Auto Loan Debt

Age Group	% With Auto Loan	Avg Balance
Under 35	42%	$22,800
35-44	46%	$24,600
45-54	44%	$23,200
55-64	38%	$20,400
65-74	27%	$17,100
75+	13%	$13,900

Credit Card Debt

Age Group	% With CC Debt	Avg Balance
Under 35	41%	$4,200
35-44	48%	$6,500
45-54	49%	$7,200
55-64	47%	$6,900
65-74	38%	$5,400
75+	25%	$3,800

Total Debt Relative to Assets

Debt is only meaningful in context of what you own. Net worth (assets minus debt) rises with age even as debt loads shift:

Age Group	Avg Total Assets	Avg Total Debt	Avg Net Worth
Under 35	$250,900	$67,400	$183,500
35-44	$683,900	$134,400	$549,600
45-54	$1,110,500	$134,700	$975,800
55-64	$1,674,900	$108,300	$1,566,900
65-74	$1,860,600	$66,000	$1,794,600

Healthy Debt Benchmarks

Debt-to-Income Ratio Guidelines

DTI Ratio	Assessment
Under 20%	Excellent
20-35%	Good
36-43%	Borderline — watch it
Over 43%	High risk — reduce debt

Debt Payoff Priority Order

High-interest debt (credit cards, personal loans over 10%)
Auto loans
Student loans
Mortgage (lowest priority — tax-deductible, builds equity)