Average American debt by age and generation in 2023

A Credit Karma Study

Updated

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According to data on 78.2 million Credit Karma members, members of Generation X (ages 43 to 58) carry the highest average total debt — $61,036. In this study, debt includes the following account types: auto leases, auto loans, credit cards, student loans and mortgages.

Read on for more findings, including a breakdown of debt by age and generation across states and various account types. Learn more about our methodology.

Average total debt by age and generation

Credit Karma members closest to midlife carry the most average total debt. Generation X averages $61,036 in debt, followed by baby boomer members, who have an average total debt of $52,401.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average total debt
Gen Z
(born 1997–2012)
Members 18–26$16,283
Millennial
(born 1981–1996)
27–42$48,611
Gen X
 (born 1965–1980)
43–58$61,036
Baby boomer
(born 1946–1964)
59–77$52,401
Silent
(born 1928–1945)
78–95$41,077

The youngest Credit Karma members, those of Generation Z, carry the least total debt on average —  $16,283 — followed by members ages 78 to 95, the Silent Generation. These members carry an average total debt of $41,077.

Average total debt by age and state

Several of the states with the highest levels of average total debt are also states with some of the highest costs of living in the country. According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s Composite Cost of Living Index, Hawaii, Washington, D.C., and California rank as the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 most expensive places, respectively, in terms of overall cost of living. These three places are also the top three areas in which Gen X members carry the highest average total debt.

Here’s a breakdown of the states where each generation has the highest average total debt:

  • Gen Z — Alaska, $23,116
  • Millennial — District of Columbia, $76,833
  • Gen X — District of Columbia, $96,217
  • Baby boomer — Hawaii, $93,354
  • Silent — Hawaii, $86,749

Average of total debt by age and by state

StateGen Z (ages 18–26)Millennial (ages 27–42)Gen X (ages 43–58)Baby Boomer (ages 59–77)Silent (ages 78–95)
Alabama$16,910$39,836$47,051$40,573$31,652
Alaska$23,116$58,071$74,774$64,066$50,635
Arizona$18,708$52,448$68,945$61,467$48,974
Arkansas$16,922$38,249$44,195$36,316$28,478
California$15,664$63,433$93,986$88,577$77,235
Colorado$19,532$63,053$84,430$73,110$54,880
Connecticut$14,901$45,912$61,220$54,005$39,246
Delaware$16,642$47,654$59,986$54,742$42,108
District of Columbia$15,143$76,833$96,217$80,325$80,122
Florida$15,224$44,034$56,543$49,350$37,797
Georgia$15,205$43,930$56,585$49,733$39,330
Hawaii$18,250$61,945$95,478$93,354$86,749
Idaho$19,167$53,087$66,390$56,828$43,038
Illinois$15,068$45,811$54,975$46,248$35,100
Indiana$17,021$40,573$46,315$38,326$27,708
Iowa$17,722$41,051$46,696$36,765$24,334
Kansas$15,829$41,435$48,807$39,290$27,850
Kentucky$16,909$39,321$45,275$37,886$29,242
Louisiana$16,517$42,543$49,205$39,112$29,248
Maine$17,490$42,202$48,771$41,214$31,113
Maryland$17,126$56,314$76,376$69,018$54,428
Massachusetts$16,500$60,367$76,244$62,294$42,244
Michigan$15,193$38,649$45,160$37,712$28,917
Minnesota$18,459$50,946$61,730$50,657$35,579
Mississippi$15,147$36,244$41,828$33,679$26,095
Missouri$16,559$41,609$48,632$40,434$31,333
Montana$16,619$47,959$59,895$49,354$38,568
Nebraska$15,544$42,293$49,220$39,236$27,540
Nevada$18,218$51,143$68,188$64,801$57,725
New Hampshire$16,821$48,249$59,660$49,009$32,983
New Jersey$14,849$50,871$68,399$56,581$40,089
New Mexico$16,866$42,043$51,963$47,888$41,601
New York$14,722$48,931$62,308$50,715$37,313
North Carolina$15,654$44,419$53,396$45,542$36,829
North Dakota$19,352$48,041$52,931$39,877$25,484
Ohio$15,272$37,870$43,779$36,247$27,291
Oklahoma$16,777$40,106$46,019$37,721$28,038
Oregon$18,713$56,512$74,383$63,494$49,608
Pennsylvania$15,743$41,644$48,408$39,789$27,723
Rhode Island$14,753$47,120$59,466$51,737$37,367
South Carolina$16,834$42,553$50,739$45,287$39,245
South Dakota$18,822$45,494$51,026$40,394$29,553
Tennessee$17,168$45,466$53,853$45,332$34,295
Texas$15,895$45,361$55,270$44,508$31,549
Utah$23,047$66,725$83,073$68,651$49,127
Vermont$17,371$42,493$49,886$41,627$29,739
Virginia$17,606$56,126$73,480$63,290$49,305
Washington$20,349$71,440$90,092$72,774$50,767
West Virginia$16,791$36,933$40,485$32,668$25,099
Wisconsin$15,696$42,731$50,857$41,334$27,777
Wyoming$18,924$52,386$62,548$51,568$39,069

Average auto loan debt by age and generation

The average auto loan debt carried by each age group ranges from $19,909 to $26,765. Members ages 43 to 58 years old (Gen X) carry the most auto loan debt, with an average of $26,765. Members age 78 to 95 (Silent Generation) carry the least auto loan debt, with an average of $18,539.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average auto loan debtAverage of next auto loan paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$19,909$45028.2
Millennial27–42$23,766$55967.2
Gen X43–58$26,765$64592.9
Baby boomer59–77$22,530$57493.1
Silent78–95$18,539$49078.7

Following closely behind the Silent Generation with the least amount of auto loan debt are members of Gen Z, who carry an average of $19,909 in auto loan debt. Members aged 27 to 42 (millennials) carry the second highest amount of auto loan debt, followed by members aged 59 to 77 (baby boomers).

Average auto lease debt by age and generation

Though you don’t own the car once your auto lease ends, a car lease is still a form of debt obligation. Members age 78 to 95 carry the least amount of auto lease debt — $8,046 on average. On the other end of the spectrum, members that carry the most are those ages 43 to 58, with an average auto lease debt of $11,825.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average auto lease debtAverage of auto lease paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$9,432$41625.9
Millennial27–42$10,871$51248
Gen X43–58$11,825$57059.7
Baby boomer59–77$9,759$50864.6
Silent78–95$8,046$44366.2

Average credit card debt by age and generation

Gen X members carry the most credit card debt, with an average of $8,266. On the flipside, Generation Z an average of only $2,781 in credit card debt, the lowest amount of all generations. For a full breakdown of credit card debt, check out Credit Karma’s report on the average credit card debt in America.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average credit card debtAverage of next card paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$2,781$8386.1
Millennial27–42$5,898$166306.4
Gen X43–58$8,266$233539.7
Baby boomer59–77$7,464$206813.2
Silent78–95$5,649$1481,079.40

Both baby boomer members and Millennial members carry more credit card debt on average than the Silent Generation. The average of next credit card payments largely align with the average levels of debt carried.

Average mortgage debt by age and generation

Mortgage debt tends to be the largest source of debt for Credit Karma members when compared to other forms of debt, such as auto loans or credit cards. Whereas auto loan and credit card debt tend to be in the single-digit or double-digit thousands, mortgage debt tends to range in the hundreds of thousands. Millennial members carry the highest average mortgage debt at $261,484, while members in the Silent Generation carry the lowest mortgage debt, with an average of $163,702.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average mortgage debtAverage of next mortgage paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$195,849$1,25019.7
Millennial27–42$261,484$1,71562.2
Gen X43–58$240,590$1,718141.9
Baby boomer59–77$188,034$1,423184.3
Silent78–95$163,702$1,145186.2

Gen Z and baby boomer members carry similar average amounts of mortgage debt — $195,849 and $188,034, respectively — even though their average account ages are vastly different. This could suggest that Gen Z members may be choosing homes that are less expensive — or that many baby boomer members have refinanced over the years and extended their mortgage loan terms.

Average student loan debt by age and generation

The average student loan debt carried across generations is $33,534. Baby boomer members carry the most student loan debt, with an average of $43,554. Gen Z members carry the least student loan debt, with an average of $15,456. Four out of the five generations of Americans carry an average student loan debt of more than $30,000.

GenerationAgesCredit Karma members’ average student loan debtAverage of next student loan paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$15,456$26106.7
Millennial27–42$31,297$44353
Gen X43–58$41,910$54383.6
Baby boomer59–77$43,554$91328.3
Silent78–95$35,453$151257.5

Though members of the Silent Generation have lower average student loan debt than Gen X and baby boomer members, their average next payments are significantly higher, suggesting they may be trying to pay down their loans more quickly. For more insights into student loan debt, check out our full report on student loan debt in America.

Average monthly debt payments by age and generation

Across all types of debt, Gen X members make the highest average monthly payments: $599. On the other end of the spectrum, Gen Z members make the lowest average monthly debt payments: $198. This makes sense, given that Gen X members have the highest average total debt, while Gen Z members have the lowest.

GenerationAgesAverage of next paymentAverage account age (in months)
Gen ZMembers 18–26$19872
Millennial27–42$443207
Gen X43–58$599296
Baby boomer59–77$548399.4
Silent78–95$411535.7

Methodology

To determine averages across categories of debt — including auto lease, auto loan, credit card, mortgage, student loan and total debt —  we analyzed the accounts of more than 78.2 million U.S. Credit Karma members who had been active on the site within the last 36 months. All aggregate data analyzed was pulled on Feb. 7, 2023, and came from members’ TransUnion credit reports. Averages were based on information from the 90 days preceding the date the data was pulled. For the purposes of this analysis, auto lease, auto loan, credit card, mortgage and student loan debt is defined as any unpaid balances existing on members’ open accounts in aggregate at the time the data was pulled. All numbers in this report were rounded to the nearest whole.