Americans have decreased their nonmortgage debt over the past year, but a new report from LendingTree shows major generational differences in how much debt people carry.
Researchers analyzed more than 500,000 anonymized credit reports from residents of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and found that median nonmortgage debt dropped 23.9 percent nationwide, from $24,668 last year to $18,762 this year.
Generation X holds the highest median debt of $26,207, even after a 22.6 percent drop from $33,859 last year. Millennials follow closely with $24,810, down 18.8 percent from $30,558.
Gen Z holds less overall, with an average of $12,715, but their debt has fallen by 23.2 percent. Baby boomers have the lowest median debt at $10,272, a decrease from $18,779.
The report found that Gen Xers are most likely to have auto debt, with 51 percent carrying a loan, and a median balance of $23,350. Millennials aren’t far behind, with 49.1 percent holding auto loans averaging $21.233.
