We hear so much about the overburdened consumer that I thought you would like to see the actual numbers showing household assets and debts.
As of Q3/2004 (most recent data) US households and nonprofit organizations owned $21.7 trillion in tangible assets, like homes, and $35.3 trillion in financial assets for a total of $57.0 trillion is assets. Against that they owed $10.7 trillion, mostly in the form of mortgages. Their net worth was $46.7 trillion.
This is a big country. Our balance sheet is in very good shape.
