US Household Debt Hits $19.1 Trillion as Troubled Loans Rise, NY Fed Reports

Total U.S. household debt rose by 1.8%, or $334 billion, to $19.1 trillion in the third quarter of 2026, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The share of loans experiencing distress climbed 0.3 percentage points to 5.0%, though the delinquency transition rate remained flat. Mortgage balances led the debt expansion, climbing $257 billion to $13.4 trillion, while credit card balances reached $1.3 trillion and auto loans rose to $1.7 trillion. In student lending, debt over 90 days past due increased to 10.9% from 10.6% in the second quarter.