Total US public debt outstanding stood at $40.56 trillion on Nov. 5, with debt held by the public accounting for most of the total, the Treasury Department said.
The total increased by $283.1 billion, or 0.7%, from Oct. 6. It rose by $2.46 trillion, or 6.5%, from Nov. 5, 2025, providing comparisons over about one month and one year.
Debt held by the public amounted to $32.77 trillion at the latest recording date. Intragovernmental holdings, the other component of total public debt outstanding, amounted to $7.79 trillion.
The two components together made up the Nov. 5 debt balance. The monthly and annual changes apply to that combined total, rather than separately to either category of holdings.
Accrued interest expense on the public debt totaled $73.5 billion in October, the Treasury Department said. The same amount represented the total for fiscal 2027 through the end of that month.
The interest figures cover the month recorded on Oct. 31, while the outstanding debt figures were recorded on Nov. 5. The two sets of figures therefore refer to different dates.
Treasury notes accounted for the largest listed interest expense, at $45.8 billion for October. Their fiscal year-to-date expense also stood at $45.8 billion, making notes the largest category on both measures.
Treasury bonds followed with $16 billion in accrued interest for the month. The total for bonds in fiscal 2027 through October was also $16 billion.
Inflation compensation associated with Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, known as TIPS, accounted for another $6.4 billion in October. The fiscal year-to-date amount for that category matched the monthly figure.
Treasury floating rate notes accounted for $2.6 billion in accrued interest during October. Their expense for fiscal 2027 through the end of the month was likewise $2.6 billion.
A separate category for inflation-protected securities recorded $2.5 billion in monthly interest expense. Its fiscal year-to-date total was also $2.5 billion, separate from the expense classified as inflation compensation.
State and local government certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds accounted for $227.1 million in October. Accrued interest for that category totaled the same $227.1 million for fiscal 2027 through October.
For every listed interest category, the October amount equaled the fiscal year-to-date amount. Treasury notes and bonds were the two largest categories, followed by inflation compensation associated with inflation-protected securities.
