The U.S. is borrowing heavily — debt and interest costs are climbing.
Federal Debt · % of GDP
Debt/GDP: 122.59% — Federal debt is 123% of GDP — larger than the entire economy. That’s the 98th percentile of all its readings since 1966.
How we score this: ok below 90.00% · watch 90.00% to 110.00% · elevated 110.00% to 130.00% · alert 130.00% and up full method
Debt/GDP: up 3 readings in a row.
Federal Deficit · trailing 12 months
Deficit: $1.80T — The U.S. has borrowed $1.8 trillion over the past year — heavy borrowing for a growing economy. That’s the 92nd percentile of all its readings since 1981.
How we score this: ok below $0.80T · watch $0.80T to $1.50T · elevated $1.50T to $2.50T · alert $2.50T and up full method
Interest Cost · share of federal revenue
Interest/revenue: 20.60% — Interest takes 21 cents of every dollar of federal revenue — a heavy, near-record claim that crowds out the budget. That’s the 74th percentile of all its readings since 1947.
How we score this: ok below 10.00% · watch 10.00% to 15.00% · elevated 15.00% to 22.00% · alert 22.00% and up full method
Federal Receipts · year-over-year
Receipts: 12.30% — The federal tax take is growing 12.3% a year. That’s the 79th percentile of all its readings since 1948.
How we score this: alert below -8.00% · elevated -8.00% to -3.00% · watch -3.00% to 0.00% · ok 0.00% and up full method
Federal Interest Cost · annual rate
Interest cost: $1,247B — The government's interest bill is up 7% from a year ago, now $1,247 billion. That’s the highest reading in its history here (since 1947).
Why it isn’t scored: The dollar interest bill climbs with the economy; the scored read is interest as a share of revenue, alongside debt-to-GDP and the deficit.
Interest cost: a fresh high in recent readings.