Interest payments in United States
United States: Interest payments was 1.06 trillion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Interest payments in United States, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for interest payments in United States is 1.06 trillion current LCU, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.6% on the previous year and up 238.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest payments in United States peaked at 1.06 trillion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.82 billion current LCU, in 1972.
United States ranks 25th of 155 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest payments in United States, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 14.82 billion current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 15.68 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 23.00 billion current LCU | +46.7% |
| 1975 | 24.55 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 28.70 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1977 | 33.44 billion current LCU | +16.5% |
| 1978 | 34.28 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 47.07 billion current LCU | +37.3% |
| 1980 | 61.32 billion current LCU | +30.3% |
| 1981 | 78.47 billion current LCU | +28.0% |
| 1982 | 96.86 billion current LCU | +23.4% |
| 1983 | 106.98 billion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 1984 | 123.58 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 1985 | 152.19 billion current LCU | +23.2% |
| 1986 | 154.70 billion current LCU | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 156.24 billion current LCU | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 168.23 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 1989 | 180.80 billion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 196.34 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 1991 | 218.95 billion current LCU | +11.5% |
| 1992 | 216.56 billion current LCU | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 210.99 billion current LCU | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 214.32 billion current LCU | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 234.17 billion current LCU | +9.3% |
| 1996 | 252.32 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 1997 | 254.44 billion current LCU | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 253.20 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 241.06 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 236.36 billion current LCU | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 258.58 billion current LCU | +9.4% |
| 2002 | 227.68 billion current LCU | -12.0% |
| 2003 | 212.59 billion current LCU | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 220.81 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 257.43 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 2006 | 280.58 billion current LCU | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 313.72 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 293.27 billion current LCU | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 253.21 billion current LCU | -13.7% |
| 2010 | 280.66 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 324.67 billion current LCU | +15.7% |
| 2012 | 317.64 billion current LCU | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 294.96 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 312.63 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 306.32 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 345.67 billion current LCU | +12.8% |
| 2017 | 369.04 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 442.87 billion current LCU | +20.0% |
| 2019 | 476.64 billion current LCU | +7.6% |
| 2020 | 412.38 billion current LCU | -13.5% |
| 2021 | 507.68 billion current LCU | +23.1% |
| 2022 | 694.87 billion current LCU | +36.9% |
| 2023 | 876.53 billion current LCU | +26.1% |
| 2024 | 1.06 trillion current LCU | +20.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1.06 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.90 billion current LCU, 153.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.69 billion current LCU | 14.82 billion current LCU | 47.07 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 127.94 billion current LCU | 61.32 billion current LCU | 180.80 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 229.24 billion current LCU | 196.34 billion current LCU | 254.44 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 255.42 billion current LCU | 212.59 billion current LCU | 313.72 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 347.11 billion current LCU | 280.66 billion current LCU | 476.64 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 709.72 billion current LCU | 412.38 billion current LCU | 1.06 trillion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
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Frequently asked questions
- What is interest payments in United States?
- Interest payments in United States was 1.06 trillion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest payments recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 1.06 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest interest payments recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.82 billion current LCU in 1972.
- How does United States rank for interest payments?
- United States ranks 25th out of 155 countries with data for 2024.
- Is interest payments rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 238.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest payments (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest payments include interest payments on government debt (including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments) to domestic and foreign residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.