US Debt Clock: Live U.S. National Debt
Current federal debt, recent change, debt per person, and source methodology using official U.S. Treasury data.
Treasury record: August 20, 2026 · Page updated: August 25, 2026 · Official U.S. Treasury data
How this clock is calculated
The official total comes from the U.S. Treasury's Debt to the Penny dataset. Between Treasury records, the display projects the latest observed daily change and labels estimated values. Latest Treasury record: August 20, 2026.
These five numbers tell the core story of the U.S. fiscal crisis. Your share of the debt — $119,575 — grows every second. The government spends $1.39 for every dollar it collects, adding to the debt daily. And at 126.0% of GDP, the U.S. is deeper in debt relative to its economy than at any point since World War II.
US Debt Clock FAQ
- What is the US Debt Clock?
- The US Debt Clock is a live tracker of the United States national debt. It shows the current federal debt, debt per citizen, debt per taxpayer, federal spending, the annual deficit, and debt-to-GDP using official U.S. Treasury data.
- Is the US Debt Clock accurate?
- Official totals come from the Treasury Debt to the Penny dataset. Between those records, this clock projects the latest observed daily change and labels estimated values. Read the methodology.
- How often does the debt clock update?
- Treasury publishes a new official record on business days. The on-page counter updates every second from that record. Latest Treasury record: August 20, 2026.
- What is the current U.S. national debt?
- The current U.S. national debt is $40.06 trillion. See the live total above, or open the live national debt clock.
- Why does the debt clock change every second?
- Interest and new borrowing accrue continuously. Between official Treasury updates, the clock applies the latest observed daily increase so the display keeps moving in real time.
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The US dollar has lost 97% of its purchasing power since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913.
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The debt grows ~$83K every second — are you keeping up?
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Shared by lawmakers, educators, and citizens tracking the national debt.