Millennials aren't as debt-ridden as you may think, but many struggle to wipe out their balances

The overwhelming majority, 43%, of millennials (defined here as those ages 23 to 38) say that since turning 18, they haven't accumulated more than $5,000 in personal debt at any given time, excluding mortgages. Yet even with lower debt levels, millennials still struggle to wipe out their balances.