US Debt Clocks

The first “National Debt Clock” (actually a numerical counter with a running display) was erected in Times Square, New York City in 1989. At the time, the US Debt was $2.7 Trillion. Today, it is almost $20 Trillion.

New York real estate developer, Seymour Durst, who invented and sponsored the clock stated that it represents a nonpartisan effort and explained the motivation behind the project in terms of intergenerational equity. “We are a family business. We think generationally, and we don’t want to see the next generation crippled by this burden. The location of the clock has since been moved to 44th Street just off 6th Avenue, Avenue of the Americas and the amount is $20 Trillion!

Currently, there are approximately 37 Debt Clocks, most online, purporting to show the US National Debt. 20 on Congressional websites and 17 which are non-government. Most are incorrect – including all of the ones on Congressional websites. There is a $6 Trillion difference between the highest at $22 Trillion and lowest at $16 Trillion.

The official source for reporting US outstanding debt is the US Treasury. Each business day at 3 PM ET UST updates the amount of outstanding debt. Via their website Debt to the Penny website: https://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/debt/current

Debt to the Penny

Peterson Foundation

High Amount

Low Amount

Most Viewed - Internet

Most Viewed - NYC

Following is a list of the displays and the amount each showed:

Source Website Link Amount on March 13, 2017

Type Source Amount
NON GOV The U.S. Debt Clock $22,579,965,537,740
NON GOV Debt Clock Search $20,352,734,847,558
NON GOV Babylon Today $20,000,670,940,528
NON GOV Gary North $20,000,670,649,491
House Paul Gosar $20,000,659,636,468
House Morgan Griffit $20,000,658,643,523
House Peter DeFazio $20,000,658,643,523
House Mike Kelly $20,000,658,083,102
House Bill Johnson $20,000,657,593,137
House Scott Tipton $20,000,657,158,009
House Jeff Duncan $20,000,656,767,706
Senate Mike Crapo $20,000,656,227,458
House Ted Yoho $20,000,655,921,310
NON GOV Zfacts $19,957,234,678,302
NON GOV 44th Street New York City $19,944,485,346,981
NON GOV U.S. Debt Clock.org $19,917,274,674,395
NON GOV National Debt Clocks $19,892,527,447,262
NON GOV Cobcord Coalition $19,885,676,540,211
House Raul Larador $19,885,079,848,232
House David McKinley $19,885,079,546,770
House Bruse Westerman $19,885,079,163,763
House Susan Brooks $19,885,078,803,336
House Thomas Massie $19,885,078,519,423
House Tom Marino $19,885,078,279,600
House Dianne Black $19,885,077,841,979
House David Perdue $19,868,232,020,737
House Steve Womack $19,868,036,994,627
NON GOV Naber $19,864,736,866,211
House Todd Rokita $19,859,707,275,761
US Treasury UST Debt to the Penny $19,858,033,799,549
NON GOV US Government Debt $19,855,676,540,211
NON GOV David Manuel $19,855,676,540,211
NON GOV Peter G. Peterson Foundation $19,855,676,540,211
House Bob Latta $19,846,853,857,191
NON GOV Debt Clock $19,404,676,065,522
NON GOV World O Meters $19,185,572,622,493
NON GOV Crowd Fund the Debt $16,842,679,610,030