Millennials are more than $100K in debt, most not from mortgages: report (2024)

Story at a glance

  • The findings of a new survey from the site Real Estate Witch shows that almost three-quarters of millennials have more than $100,000 in debt.
  • Most of that debt is non-mortgage debt.
  • But while millennials have a large amount of debt, many are optimistic that they can pay it off over the next five years.

With recessions, inflation and an out-of-reach housing market, millennials are no strangers to financial anxiety.

A recently published report by the site Real Estate Witch shows that most members of the Net Generation are also saddled with huge amounts of debt, adding to their money woes.

The study found that most millennials have more than $100,000 worth of debt with most of it not connected to a mortgage.

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More than 70 percent of millennials have some form of non-mortgage debt, with the average millennial owing $117,000, according to the report.

Almost half of millennials, or 48 percent, reported having some form of student loans with the average person owing $126,993, but the most common type of debt was credit card debt, with 67 percent of millennials having some amount of debt on a credit card.

While most millennials have accrued a large amount of debt, the bulk of millennials, 63 percent, believe that they can pay it off over the next one to five years.

Meanwhile, a smaller number, almost 1 out of 10, estimate that it will take them more than 10 years to pay off their debts, while 1 in 16 believe that they will never be able to pay off what they owe.

To make matters worse, nearly 1 in 3 millennials, or 29 percent, admit to not paying off their credit card in full every month.

According to the report, among millennials with credit card debt the average amount they owe is $5,349.

The report also found that millennials on average spend 47 percent of their gross monthly income on housing each month, about 1.5 times more than the recommended 30 percent.

Only 10 percent of survey respondents said they have never had debt, which means that 90 percent of millennials have had some sort of non-mortgage debt in their lives.

Out of the 28 percent of millennials that are debt free, one in three has never had debt, while 1 in 4 have paid off their debt within the last year, the survey found.

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  • Millennials are more than $100K in debt, most not from mortgages: report (1)
  • Millennials are more than $100K in debt, most not from mortgages: report (2)
Millennials are more than $100K in debt, most not from mortgages: report (2024)

FAQs

Millennials are more than $100K in debt, most not from mortgages: report? ›

More than 70% of millennials have over $100,000 in non-mortgage debt; $117,000 to be exact, according to a recent survey. About half of millennials have student loans. The average balance among these individuals is nearly $127,000.

What is the largest source of debt for the average millennial? ›

Millennial Debt

The average mortgage balance for Millennials (ages 27 to 42) is the highest among all age groups. This tracks, given that homeowners in this cohort would likely have purchased their home more recently and be closer to the beginning of their amortization period than older homeowners.

Which generation is most in debt? ›

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.

What is the average mortgage amount owed by Millennials? ›

Millennials Carry Highest Average Mortgage Balance at Nearly $300,000. Millennials continue to face hurdles on their way to homeownership. Even those who managed to find and finance a new home are paying more for the privilege than older generations.

Are millennials in a lot of debt? ›

Americans — particularly Millennials and those with lower incomes — are becoming increasingly overextended financially: Credit card and auto loan delinquencies have not only surpassed pre-pandemic levels, they're the highest they've been in more than a decade.

What is the average American debt not including mortgage? ›

The average personal debt per individual grew from $21,800 in 2023 to $22,713 in 2024, excluding mortgages, according to recent research from financial services company Northwestern Mutual. If you owe over $15,000 in debt, a Debt Relief Program may be able to help get you back on your feet more quickly.

Which generation is most financially responsible? ›

For instance, baby boomers feel more financially responsible than other generations; Gen X is most likely to feel financially insecure; millennials have higher ownership rates of various retirement accounts; and Gen Z is the most comfortable talking to their friends and family about finances.

Which generation is the wealthiest? ›

Millennials stand to become the richest generation in history, after $90 trillion wealth transfer | CNN Business.

What age group has the highest debt? ›

Key statistics
  • People aged 40-49 hold the highest amount of debt with $4.21 trillion in total.
  • By 2030, Millennials (born between 1981 to 1996) are expected to have the most total debt at an average of $228,891 per person.

Which generation has the most credit card debt? ›

Americans collectively owe over $1 trillion in credit card debt. But one generation carries the most, on average: Gen X. The average credit card balance for Gen Xers, defined at those between the ages of 43 and 58, rose to $9,123 in the third quarter of 2023, according to Experian's latest available data.

How do Millennials afford a house? ›

Tips for Becoming a First-Time Home Buyer
  1. Start Saving More. You'll need money for a down payment, for closing costs, for taxes, for utilities, for an emergency fund for when the heater or AC goes out. ...
  2. Clean up Your Credit. ...
  3. Lean into It. ...
  4. Find a Real Estate Agent. ...
  5. Talk to a Lender. ...
  6. Redefine Your Hipster Attitude. ...
  7. Get Skilled.

What age does the average person pay off their mortgage USA? ›

But with nearly two-thirds of retirement-age Americans having paid off their mortgages, it means that the average age they have gotten rid of that debt is likely in their early 60s. Stats from 538.com, for example, suggest the age is around 63.

How many people pay off their 30 year mortgage? ›

In fact, according to Census Bureau data, nearly 40% of Americans already have. But are you really better off paying off your home mortgage, or are there strategies you can employ to put yourself ahead even more? Read on to learn more.

Why are millennials so rich? ›

Millennials' wealth saw historic growth from 2019 to 2023, a new report says. Despite the pandemic recession, their wealth increased because of factors like a robust labor market. The wealth growth even likely affected lower-income millennials.

Which generation has the least debt? ›

Americans collectively owe over $1 trillion in credit card debt, with members of Generation X, on average, owing the most and Gen Zers owing the least, CNBC.com Make It reported.

How much debt is the average 30 year old in? ›

Average debt by age
GenerationAverage total debt (2023)Average total debt (2022)
Millenial (27-42)$125,047$115,784
Gen X (43-57)$157,556$154,658
Baby Boomer (58-77)$94,880$96,087
Silent Generation (78+)$38,600$39,345
1 more row
3 days ago

What is the biggest source of debt? ›

Americans owe $986 billion on credit cards, surpassing the pre-pandemic high of $927 billion. We owe $11.92 trillion on mortgages, $1.55 trillion on vehicle loans and $1.60 trillion for student loans.

What is the most common source of debt? ›

The most common sources of debt financing are commercial banks. Sources of debt financing include trade credit, accounts receivables, factoring, and finance companies.

What is the largest source of consumer debt? ›

Consumers in the United States had over 16 trillion dollars in debt as of the third quarter of 2023. The majority of that debt were home mortgages, amounting to approximately 11.4 trillion U.S. dollars.

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