What state is in the most debt?

Asked by: Mr. Luigi Baumbach  |  Last update: April 25, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (33 votes)

California's total long-term debt, between the state and local governments, has quietly surged to over half a trillion dollars, making it the most indebted state in the nation.

Which US states have the most debt?

On a per capita basis, Connecticut's $27,031 total liabilities per capita are worst in the nation, followed by New Jersey. Reason Foundation finds California has twice the total liabilities of any other state. California had $498 billion in total liabilities at the end of fiscal year 2022.

Where is most of the US debt owed?

Japan and China have been the largest foreign holders of US debt for the last two decades. From 2000 to 2023, annual totals are based on data from December, while the 2024 data is updated through April. Inflation adjusted to the 2023 calendar year.

Which US city has the most debt?

Americans in these US cities have the most debt
  • Residents of the 50 largest U.S. cities carry an average debt of $37,800.
  • Austin, Texas, is the most debt-ridden city, a LendingTree study found.
  • San Jose, California, is the least debt-ridden.

Who owns over 70% of the US debt?

Who owns the most U.S. debt? Around 70 percent of U.S. debt is held by domestic financial actors and institutions in the United States. U.S. Treasuries represent a convenient, liquid, low-risk store of value.

Who does the US Owe its $35 Trillion debt? (National Debt Explained)

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What countries still owe the US money?

Top 20 Countries that Owe the US Money
  • Bermuda. Total Debt Held: $77.4 Billion. ...
  • Germany. Total Debt Held: $91.3 Billion. ...
  • Norway. Total Debt Held: $104.4 Billion. ...
  • Korea. Total Debt Held: $105.8 Billion. ...
  • Saudi Arabia. Total Debt Held: $111 Billion. ...
  • France. Total Debt Held: $183.9 Billion. ...
  • Singapore. ...
  • Brazil.

Who owes China the most money?

Which country owes the most debt to China? Pakistan owes the most debt to China, totaling $26.6 billion. This debt primarily funds infrastructure and energy projects, making repayment particularly challenging due to commercial interest rates.

Who are the top 4 owners of US debt?

  1. Japan. Japan held $1.13 trillion in Treasury securities as of November 2024, beating out China as the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt. ...
  2. China. China gets a lot of attention for holding a big chunk of the U.S. government's debt. ...
  3. United Kingdom. ...
  4. Cayman Islands. ...
  5. Luxembourg.

What is the #1 debt for American households?

Credit Card Debt. Credit card debt is one thing nearly all Americans share, regardless of race, gender or income level. It's the most common type of debt in the U.S. By the end of 2022, Americans owed an all-time high of $986 billion on credit cards, a $130 billion increase in 12 months.

Which state has the highest debt to income ratio?

Household debt-to-income ratio in the U.S. Q1 2024, by state

The highest household debt-to-income ratio was recorded in Hawaii at 2.2, and the lowest in the District of Columbia at 0.52 percent, respectively.

Will the US ever get out of debt?

Eliminating the U.S. government's debt is a Herculean task that could take decades. In addition to obvious steps, such as hiking taxes and slashing spending, the government could take a number of other approaches, some of them unorthodox and even controversial.

What country owns most of the United States?

Which countries own the most land in the U.S.?
  • CANADA. 31%
  • Other. 28%
  • NETHERLANDS. 12%
  • ITALY. 7%
  • UNITED KINGDOM. 6%
  • GERMANY. 6%
  • PORTUGAL. 3.6%
  • FRANCE. 3.2%

How much does China owe the US?

Countries may not default on their sovereign debt. Yet China has done just that on $1 trillion it owes to U.S. bondholders. No other country has been permitted to continuously get away with defaulting on its sovereign debt while maintaining access to U.S. capital markets.

Which US states are not in debt?

  • Wyoming. #1 in Fiscal Stability. #12 in Best States Overall. ...
  • North Dakota. #2 in Fiscal Stability. #15 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Nebraska. #3 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Delaware. #4 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Tennessee. #5 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Utah. #6 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Minnesota. #7 in Fiscal Stability. ...
  • Texas. #8 in Fiscal Stability.

Which state has the highest surplus?

Between fiscal years 2008 and 2022, 6 states recorded long-term deficits, pushing off some costs for government operations and services to future taxpayers. The 15-year shortfall was the greatest in New Jersey, while Alaska had the largest surplus. 50-state median revenue covered 103.6% of expenses.

Why is Texas in debt?

Local governments in Texas issue debt to finance construction and renovation of government facilities (e.g., schools, public safety buildings, city halls, and county courthouses), public infrastructure (e.g., roads, water, and sewer systems) and various other projects authorized by law.

How many people have $50,000 in credit card debt?

Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year. Paying off that bill?

Who does the US owe money to?

Public debt, which accounts for roughly 80% of the total, is owed to investors. Those investors include foreign governments, mutual funds, pension funds, and individuals among others. The Federal Reserve owns part of this public debt. Intragovernmental debt accounts for the other 20%.

How much money does the average American have?

Key Takeaways. The average net worth in 2022 was $1,063,700, while the median net worth was $192,200. There's often a strong correlation between income and net worth, and higher earners tend to have much higher net worth.

What if China sells all US bonds?

If China (or any other nation that has a trade surplus with the U.S.) stops buying U.S. Treasuries or even starts dumping its U.S. forex reserves, its trade surplus would become a trade deficit—something which no export-oriented economy would want, as they would be worse off as a result.

Which country is the most in debt?

Currently, China's total debt stands at around $47.5 trillion, which is less than the US's near $70 trillion. Notably, China holds the largest share of non-financial corporate debt globally, at 28%. Both China and the U.S. are among the countries with the highest debt-to-GDP ratios.

Who buys most of U.S. debt?

Investors in Japan and China hold significant shares of U.S. public debt. Together, as of December 2023, they accounted for nearly $2 trillion, or about 7 percent of DHBP. While China's holdings of U.S. debt have declined over the past decade, Japan's purchases of U.S. Treasury securities remain comparable.

What country doesn't have debt?

The best example can be taken from Hong Kong (it is a one of the debt free countries), whose economy has the least debt to GDP ratio. It is an almost debt free country. It has a well-regulated financial system and large foreign reserves.

What does China own in the US?

China owns 384,000 acres of American agricultural land. That's a 30% increase just since 2019. And on top of that, they own land near an air force base in North Dakota.

How much debt is Russia in?

Russia National Government Debt reached 253.4 USD bn in Nov 2024, compared with 274.8 USD bn in the previous month. Russia National Government Debt data is updated monthly, available from May 2009 to Nov 2024. The data reached an all-time high of 384.2 USD bn in Jun 2022 and a record low of 86.1 USD bn in May 2009.