Summer 2012: To Whom Does the U.S. Government Owe Money?

Through 30 June 2012, the U.S. government had racked up some $15.855 trillion in debt. Our chart below shows to whom most of it was owed:

Although the United States' total public debt outstanding has now exceeded 16 trillion dollars, at least as of 31 August 2012, the relative percentages for the major holders of all the debt issued by the U.S. government shown above are likely unchanged.

Taking that larger national debt figure into account, as well as the likely growth in the number of U.S. households, we estimate that the current national debt burden per U.S. household is roughly $131,113. Over the last four years, that's up by $49,129 per U.S. household from the $81,984 per U.S. household figure set in 2008.

Data Sources:

U.S. Treasury Department. Major Foreign Holders of Treasury Securities. Accessed 8 September 2012 (with data shown through 30 June 2012).

U.S. Treasury Department. Monthly Statement of the Public Debt of the United States, June 30, 2012. Table III – Detail of Treasury Securities Outstanding, June 30, 2012.