Total household debt in the United States rose by $18 billion from the previous quarter, reaching a new record of $18.8 trillion in Q1 2026. Mortgage balances increased by $21 billion to $13.19 trillion, while auto loan balances climbed by $18 billion to $1.69 trillion. Home equity lines of credit (HELOC) expanded by $12 billion to $446 billion. In contrast, student loan balances declined by $6 billion to $1.66 trillion, and credit card balances fell by $25 billion to $1.25 trillion.
“Aggregate household debt levels rose slightly, with modest increases in most debt types offsetting a seasonal decline in credit card balances,” said Daniel Mangrum, Research Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. “Delinquency transition rates were largely stable, while student loan delinquencies are returning to their pre-pandemic levels.”
