Money management is a life skill that unfortunately isn’t taught as often as it should be. It’s a skill that everyone should want to learn too, as it can bring about flawless credit and freedom from debt. But a survey of consumer financial literacy reflects a growing need for financial instruction in U.S. households. Only 55 percent of adults, for instance, give their knowledge of personal finance high marks, and just two in five maintain a budget and keep an eye on their spending.
It’s clear that some Americans are better than others at handling their finances. In order to determine where they live, WalletHub compared more than 2,500 cities based on 10 key indicators of money management. Our data set ranges from average credit score to average number of late payments to mortgage debt-to-income ratio. Read on for our findings and expert advice from a panel of researchers.
Curious to know how your own money-management skills compare to those of the average person in your city? Join WalletHub to see a free daily-updated analysis of your credit report and score.
Table of Contents
Main FindingsRanking by City SizeCredit Card Debt by StateAsk the ExpertsMethodologyMain Findings
Money Management by City
| Rank (1=Best) | City | Percentile Rank* | Median Credit Score | Credit-Card Debt-to-Income Ratio | Mortgage Debt-to-Income Ratio | Car-Loan Debt-to-Income Ratio | Student-Loan Debt-to-Income Ratio | Avg. Number of Late Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | 99 | 775 | 1.80% | 390.16% | 10.46% | 12.94% | 0.51 |
| 2 | Los Altos, CA | 99 | 782 | 2.63% | 353.65% | 8.94% | 13.29% | 0.41 |
| 3 | Scarsdale, NY | 99 | 770 | 2.51% | 231.93% | 5.75% | 13.32% | 1.1 |
| 4 | Princeton, NJ | 99 | 761 | 2.91% | 289.08% | 11.89% | 22.48% | 1 |
| 5 | Sunnyvale, CA | 99 | 759 | 2.02% | 447.58% | 13.37% | 18.64% | 1.2 |
| 6 | Palo Alto, CA | 99 | 767 | 2.57% | 412.71% | 10.06% | 16.40% | 0.8 |
| 7 | Lexington, MA | 99 | 779 | 2.97% | 305.05% | 10.38% | 19.18% | 0.68 |
| 8 | Mountain View, CA | 99 | 759 | 2.26% | 434.46% | 11.93% | 20.77% | 1.3 |
| 9 | Saratoga, CA | 99 | 781 | 2.76% | 481.87% | 11.01% | 13.90% | 0.39 |
| 10 | Laguna Woods, CA | 99 | 781 | 3.38% | 301.49% | 20.73% | 33.02% | 1.1 |
| 11 | Bronxville, NY | 99 | 757 | 2.97% | 175.62% | 7.09% | 17.11% | 1.5 |
| 12 | Redmond, WA | 99 | 763 | 2.80% | 336.70% | 14.63% | 19.68% | 1 |
| 13 | Mercer Island, WA | 99 | 769 | 3.83% | 411.92% | 12.43% | 16.51% | 0.64 |
| 14 | Belmont, CA | 99 | 770 | 3.05% | 441.56% | 13.04% | 15.98% | 0.95 |
| 15 | McLean, VA | 99 | 761 | 3.28% | 349.08% | 11.09% | 19.33% | 0.82 |
| 16 | Sammamish, WA | 99 | 776 | 3.29% | 304.72% | 13.00% | 15.93% | 0.57 |
| 17 | Chevy Chase, MD | 99 | 765 | 3.26% | 348.85% | 9.36% | 19.88% | 0.92 |
| 18 | Bellevue, WA | 99 | 756 | 3.09% | 391.15% | 15.53% | 21.42% | 1.2 |
| 19 | Potomac, MD | 99 | 776 | 3.62% | 354.80% | 12.20% | 18.68% | 0.81 |
| 20 | Mill Valley, CA | 99 | 761 | 3.59% | 383.79% | 8.68% | 18.28% | 0.92 |
| 20 | Hingham, MA | 99 | 765 | 3.04% | 283.08% | 9.95% | 16.20% | 1 |
| 22 | Foster City, CA | 99 | 767 | 2.51% | 411.04% | 13.27% | 21.64% | 1.1 |
| 23 | Hudson, OH | 99 | 770 | 4.19% | 215.10% | 13.01% | 18.57% | 0.86 |
| 24 | Lake Forest, IL | 99 | 765 | 4.51% | 311.86% | 13.49% | 18.32% | 0.7 |
| 25 | Leawood, KS | 99 | 780 | 4.53% | 232.28% | 15.19% | 17.81% | 1.1 |
| 26 | Winchester, MA | 99 | 776 | 4.09% | 360.52% | 12.61% | 18.92% | 0.69 |
| 27 | Chesterfield, MO | 99 | 771 | 4.25% | 251.80% | 16.55% | 24.99% | 1.2 |
| 28 | Burlington, MA | 99 | 760 | 2.89% | 328.20% | 14.84% | 23.61% | 1.4 |
| 29 | Belmont, MA | 99 | 767 | 3.93% | 390.14% | 12.42% | 26.06% | 1.1 |
| 30 | San Carlos, CA | 99 | 775 | 3.34% | 425.62% | 11.08% | 16.34% | 0.79 |
*Best = 99th Percentile
Ranking by City Size
|
Rank |
Large City |
Rank |
Midsize City |
Rank |
Small City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA (81.06) | 1 | Sunnyvale, CA (87.17) | 1 | Cupertino, CA (91.20) |
| 2 | Seattle, WA (77.75) | 2 | Bellevue, WA (85.05) | 2 | Los Altos, CA (89.63) |
| 3 | San Jose, CA (75.47) | 3 | Cambridge, MA (83.55) | 3 | Scarsdale, NY (88.91) |
| 4 | Boston, MA (73.56) | 4 | Santa Clara, CA (83.08) | 4 | Princeton, NJ (87.34) |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN (70.32) | 5 | Fremont, CA (82.94) | 5 | Palo Alto, CA (87.09) |
| 6 | Washington, DC (70.04) | 6 | San Mateo, CA (80.25) | 6 | Lexington, MA (86.84) |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA (69.59) | 7 | Arlington, VA (79.95) | 7 | Mountain View, CA (86.84) |
| 8 | Honolulu, HI (69.57) | 8 | Berkeley, CA (79.60) | 8 | Saratoga, CA (86.82) |
| 9 | Oakland, CA (69.14) | 9 | The Woodlands, TX (79.59) | 9 | Laguna Woods, CA (86.38) |
| 10 | Portland, OR (69.03) | 10 | Cary, NC (79.06) | 10 | Bronxville, NY (86.30) |
| 11 | New York, NY (68.70) | 11 | Irvine, CA (78.98) | 11 | Redmond, WA (85.85) |
| 12 | San Diego, CA (68.31) | 12 | Naperville, IL (78.38) | 12 | Mercer Island, WA (85.52) |
| 13 | St. Paul, MN (68.13) | 13 | Ann Arbor, MI (77.96) | 13 | Belmont, CA (85.40) |
| 14 | Omaha, NE (68.07) | 14 | Sugar Land, TX (77.70) | 14 | McLean, VA (85.30) |
| 15 | Austin, TX (67.07) | 15 | Carlsbad, CA (76.46) | 15 | Sammamish, WA (85.09) |
| 16 | Denver, CO (66.11) | 16 | Torrance, CA (76.20) | 16 | Chevy Chase, MD (85.06) |
| 17 | Lexington-Fayette, KY (66.04) | 17 | Sterling Heights, MI (76.18) | 17 | Potomac, MD (84.98) |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA (65.90) | 18 | Madison, WI (75.60) | 18 | Hingham, MA (84.70) |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC (65.19) | 19 | Thousand Oaks, CA (75.30) | 18 | Mill Valley, CA (84.70) |
| 20 | Wichita, KS (64.66) | 20 | Boulder, CO (75.26) | 20 | Foster City, CA (84.38) |
| 21 | Columbus, OH (64.15) | 21 | Rochester, MN (74.90) | 21 | Hudson, OH (84.33) |
| 22 | Anaheim, CA (63.95) | 22 | Plano, TX (74.60) | 22 | Lake Forest, IL (84.32) |
| 23 | Louisville, KY (63.94) | 23 | Highlands Ranch, CO (74.55) | 23 | Leawood, KS (84.09) |
| 24 | Stockton, CA (63.71) | 24 | Huntington Beach, CA (74.34) | 24 | Winchester, MA (84.08) |
| 25 | Cincinnati, OH (63.70) | 25 | Frisco, TX (74.13) | 25 | Chesterfield, MO (83.86) |
| 26 | St. Louis, MO (63.64) | 26 | Richardson, TX (74.12) | 26 | Burlington, MA (83.86) |
| 27 | Long Beach, CA (63.45) | 27 | Overland Park, KS (73.97) | 27 | Belmont, MA (83.83) |
| 28 | Mesa, AZ (63.18) | 28 | Stamford, CT (73.69) | 28 | San Carlos, CA (83.75) |
| 29 | Chicago, IL (63.14) | 29 | Alexandria, VA (73.67) | 29 | Garden City, NY (83.62) |
| 30 | Oklahoma City, OK (63.02) | 30 | Scottsdale, AZ (73.62) | 30 | Vienna, VA (83.53) |
| 31 | Colorado Springs, CO (62.83) | 31 | Jersey City, NJ (73.60) | 31 | Lafayette, CA (83.51) |
| 32 | Fresno, CA (62.36) | 32 | Centennial, CO (73.25) | 32 | Sun City West, AZ (83.39) |
| 33 | Los Angeles, CA (62.31) | 33 | Burbank, CA (72.27) | 33 | Northbrook, IL (83.27) |
| 34 | Albuquerque, NM (62.29) | 34 | Concord, CA (71.97) | 34 | Bethesda, MD (83.22) |
| 35 | Kansas City, MO (61.96) | 35 | Roseville, CA (71.62) | 35 | Newton, MA (83.11) |
| 36 | Arlington, TX (61.94) | 36 | Renton, WA (71.32) | 36 | Ridgewood, NJ (83.10) |
| 37 | Bakersfield, CA (61.93) | 37 | Pasadena, CA (71.25) | 37 | Troy, MI (83.09) |
| 38 | Charlotte, NC (61.90) | 38 | Hillsboro, OR (70.74) | 38 | Rochester, MI (83.06) |
| 39 | Philadelphia, PA (61.86) | 39 | Springfield, IL (70.58) | 39 | Walnut Creek, CA (83.06) |
| 40 | Nashville, TN (61.82) | 40 | Columbia, MD (70.10) | 40 | Brookline, MA (83.01) |
| 41 | Atlanta, GA (61.76) | 41 | Arvada, CO (69.99) | 41 | Wilmette, IL (82.96) |
| 42 | Houston, TX (61.75) | 42 | Green Bay, WI (69.79) | 42 | Westport, CT (82.92) |
| 43 | Tampa, FL (61.74) | 43 | League City, TX (69.75) | 43 | Syosset, NY (82.84) |
| 44 | Tulsa, OK (61.72) | 44 | Cedar Rapids, IA (69.56) | 44 | Southlake, TX (82.65) |
| 45 | Baltimore, MD (61.47) | 45 | San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA (69.36) | 45 | Los Gatos, CA (82.58) |
| 46 | Dallas, TX (61.01) | 46 | Costa Mesa, CA (69.23) | 46 | Brookfield, WI (82.50) |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN (60.96) | 47 | Provo, UT (69.19) | 47 | The Villages, FL (82.50) |
| 48 | Fort Worth, TX (60.64) | 48 | Lincoln, NE (69.08) | 48 | Libertyville, IL (82.33) |
| 49 | Tucson, AZ (60.58) | 49 | Fullerton, CA (69.03) | 49 | Brentwood, TN (82.25) |
| 50 | Virginia Beach, VA (60.50) | 50 | Glendale, CA (69.01) | 50 | Mequon, WI (82.23) |
| 51 | Las Vegas, NV (60.47) | 51 | Peoria, IL (68.97) | 51 | Colleyville, TX (82.22) |
| 52 | Milwaukee, WI (60.24) | 52 | Elk Grove, CA (68.95) | 52 | Pleasanton, CA (82.21) |
| 53 | Aurora, CO (59.08) | 53 | Daly City, CA (68.85) | 53 | Fort Lee, NJ (82.16) |
| 54 | Riverside, CA (58.74) | 54 | Boise City, ID (68.77) | 54 | Westfield, NJ (82.14) |
| 55 | Phoenix, AZ (58.40) | 55 | Simi Valley, CA (68.72) | 55 | Arlington, MA (82.00) |
| 56 | Cleveland, OH (57.92) | 56 | Carrollton, TX (68.69) | 56 | Dublin, OH (81.97) |
| 57 | Santa Ana, CA (57.57) | 57 | Olathe, KS (68.50) | 57 | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (81.94) |
| 58 | Jacksonville, FL (56.20) | 58 | Fargo, ND (68.40) | 58 | Davis, CA (81.85) |
| 59 | Corpus Christi, TX (56.18) | 59 | Kent, WA (68.32) | 59 | Northville, MI (81.84) |
| 60 | El Paso, TX (56.13) | 59 | Yonkers, NY (68.32) | 60 | Green Valley, AZ (81.67) |
| 61 | Detroit, MI (54.94) | 61 | Garden Grove, CA (68.27) | 61 | Bloomfield Hills, MI (81.61) |
| 62 | New Orleans, LA (54.93) | 62 | Fort Collins, CO (68.06) | 62 | Needham, MA (81.59) |
| 63 | San Antonio, TX (54.75) | 63 | Chandler, AZ (67.84) | 63 | Edina, MN (81.54) |
| 64 | Miami, FL (52.82) | 64 | Clovis, CA (67.77) | 64 | Westlake Village, CA (81.51) |
| 65 | Memphis, TN (48.67) | 65 | Syracuse, NY (67.73) | 65 | Falls Church, VA (81.46) |
| 66 | Metairie, LA (67.73) | 66 | Glenview, IL (81.38) | ||
| 67 | Grand Rapids, MI (67.55) | 67 | Millbrae, CA (81.35) | ||
| 68 | Santa Rosa, CA (67.50) | 68 | Danville, CA (81.34) | ||
| 69 | Salt Lake City, UT (67.34) | 69 | Seal Beach, CA (81.32) | ||
| 70 | Westminster, CO (67.33) | 70 | Highland Park, IL (81.24) | ||
| 71 | Orange, CA (67.32) | 71 | Powell, OH (81.22) | ||
| 72 | Billings, MT (67.18) | 72 | Ellicott City, MD (81.02) | ||
| 73 | Hayward, CA (67.18) | 73 | Deerfield, IL (80.99) | ||
| 74 | Warren, MI (67.17) | 74 | San Ramon, CA (80.92) | ||
| 75 | Anchorage, AK (67.09) | 75 | Menlo Park, CA (80.91) | ||
| 76 | Sioux Falls, SD (67.05) | 76 | Plainview, NY (80.84) | ||
| 77 | Lakewood, CO (66.73) | 77 | Dublin, CA (80.77) | ||
| 78 | Everett, WA (66.66) | 78 | Reading, MA (80.58) | ||
| 79 | Irving, TX (66.59) | 79 | Pittsford, NY (80.57) | ||
| 80 | Spokane, WA (66.56) | 80 | Mason, OH (80.47) | ||
| 81 | Eugene, OR (66.54) | 81 | Rochester Hills, MI (80.46) | ||
| 82 | McKinney, TX (66.45) | 82 | Sun City Center, FL (80.45) | ||
| 83 | West Covina, CA (66.45) | 83 | Issaquah, WA (80.43) | ||
| 84 | Buffalo, NY (66.43) | 84 | Carmel, IN (80.42) | ||
| 85 | Gilbert, AZ (66.35) | 84 | Ridgefield, CT (80.42) | ||
| 86 | Vancouver, WA (66.30) | 86 | Bainbridge Island, WA (80.37) | ||
| 87 | Lowell, MA (66.20) | 87 | Newtown, PA (80.37) | ||
| 88 | Rochester, NY (65.94) | 88 | Plymouth, MI (80.36) | ||
| 89 | Clearwater, FL (65.93) | 89 | New Hyde Park, NY (80.35) | ||
| 90 | Providence, RI (65.80) | 90 | Pleasant Hill, CA (80.35) | ||
| 91 | Columbia, MO (65.77) | 91 | Port Washington, NY (80.32) | ||
| 92 | Worcester, MA (65.54) | 92 | Severna Park, MD (80.31) | ||
| 93 | New Haven, CT (65.53) | 93 | Franklin, WI (80.30) | ||
| 94 | Wilmington, NC (65.44) | 94 | Hoboken, NJ (80.28) | ||
| 95 | Midland, TX (65.43) | 95 | Floral Park, NY (80.26) | ||
| 96 | Peoria, AZ (65.42) | 96 | Summit, NJ (80.25) | ||
| 97 | Modesto, CA (65.41) | 97 | Orchard Park, NY (80.24) | ||
| 98 | Tacoma, WA (65.23) | 98 | Lewes, DE (80.22) | ||
| 99 | Richmond, CA (65.01) | 99 | Pewaukee, WI (80.13) | ||
| 100 | Pearland, TX (64.87) | 100 | Laguna Beach, CA (80.09) | ||
| 101 | Santa Clarita, CA (64.83) | 101 | Kirkland, WA (80.04) | ||
| 102 | Gainesville, FL (64.74) | 102 | West Lafayette, IN (79.99) | ||
| 103 | Manchester, NH (64.71) | 103 | Manhattan Beach, CA (79.97) | ||
| 104 | Evansville, IN (64.47) | 104 | Birmingham, MI (79.97) | ||
| 105 | Elgin, IL (64.42) | 105 | Campbell, CA (79.89) | ||
| 106 | Pasadena, TX (64.36) | 106 | Iselin, NJ (79.81) | ||
| 107 | Aurora, IL (64.35) | 107 | Vernon Hills, IL (79.74) | ||
| 108 | College Station, TX (64.27) | 108 | Arcadia, CA (79.73) | ||
| 109 | Durham, NC (64.22) | 109 | Minnetonka, MN (79.73) | ||
| 110 | Reno, NV (64.06) | 110 | Buffalo Grove, IL (79.72) | ||
| 111 | Visalia, CA (63.95) | 111 | Burlingame, CA (79.71) | ||
| 112 | Des Moines, IA (63.91) | 112 | Chagrin Falls, OH (79.57) | ||
| 113 | Pueblo, CO (63.88) | 113 | El Cerrito, CA (79.49) | ||
| 114 | Lafayette, LA (63.82) | 114 | Zionsville, IN (79.49) | ||
| 115 | South Bend, IN (63.77) | 115 | Darien, CT (79.45) | ||
| 116 | Greeley, CO (63.76) | 116 | Folsom, CA (79.35) | ||
| 117 | Huntsville, AL (63.68) | 117 | Wantagh, NY (79.30) | ||
| 118 | Henderson, NV (63.67) | 118 | Westlake, OH (79.25) | ||
| 119 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (63.52) | 119 | Rocky River, OH (79.16) | ||
| 120 | Topeka, KS (63.31) | 120 | Novi, MI (79.14) | ||
| 121 | Independence, MO (63.30) | 121 | Reston, VA (79.10) | ||
| 122 | Davenport, IA (63.23) | 122 | Arlington Heights, IL (79.08) | ||
| 123 | Round Rock, TX (63.17) | 123 | Melrose, MA (79.08) | ||
| 124 | Broken Arrow, OK (63.14) | 124 | Milpitas, CA (78.99) | ||
| 125 | Garland, TX (63.14) | 125 | Lemont, IL (78.97) | ||
| 126 | Allentown, PA (63.07) | 126 | Germantown, TN (78.87) | ||
| 127 | Charleston, SC (63.01) | 127 | Strongsville, OH (78.83) | ||
| 128 | Fort Wayne, IN (62.98) | 128 | Alameda, CA (78.76) | ||
| 129 | Oceanside, CA (62.85) | 129 | Lake Oswego, OR (78.69) | ||
| 130 | Murrieta, CA (62.68) | 130 | Gibsonia, PA (78.66) | ||
| 131 | Norman, OK (62.68) | 131 | Darien, IL (78.65) | ||
| 132 | Pompano Beach, FL (62.56) | 132 | Elmhurst, IL (78.64) | ||
| 133 | Temecula, CA (62.56) | 133 | Smithtown, NY (78.55) | ||
| 134 | Surprise, AZ (62.54) | 134 | Watertown Town, MA (78.54) | ||
| 135 | Fort Lauderdale, FL (62.48) | 135 | Eden Prairie, MN (78.54) | ||
| 136 | Denton, TX (62.46) | 136 | Glen Ellyn, IL (78.51) | ||
| 137 | Springfield, MA (62.46) | 137 | New Berlin, WI (78.51) | ||
| 138 | Richmond, VA (62.45) | 138 | Fair Lawn, NJ (78.49) | ||
| 139 | Gresham, OR (62.40) | 139 | Rockville, MD (78.48) | ||
| 140 | El Monte, CA (62.31) | 140 | Santa Monica, CA (78.38) | ||
| 141 | West Jordan, UT (62.27) | 141 | West Hartford, CT (78.35) | ||
| 142 | Corona, CA (62.27) | 142 | Morton Grove, IL (78.35) | ||
| 142 | Chula Vista, CA (62.27) | 143 | Collegeville, PA (78.31) | ||
| 144 | Salem, OR (62.06) | 144 | Andover, MA (78.29) | ||
| 145 | Pembroke Pines, FL (62.06) | 145 | Great Neck, NY (78.26) | ||
| 146 | St. Petersburg, FL (61.99) | 146 | North Royalton, OH (78.23) | ||
| 146 | Lewisville, TX (61.99) | 147 | Peachtree City, GA (78.22) | ||
| 148 | Rockford, IL (61.96) | 148 | Wheaton, IL (78.15) | ||
| 149 | Waterbury, CT (61.91) | 149 | Royal Oak, MI (78.14) | ||
| 150 | Odessa, TX (61.88) | 150 | Glastonbury Center, CT (78.08) | ||
| 151 | Lansing, MI (61.85) | 151 | Stillwater, MN (78.07) | ||
| 152 | Springfield, MO (61.68) | 152 | Okemos, MI (78.02) | ||
| 153 | Amarillo, TX (61.54) | 153 | Waltham, MA (78.01) | ||
| 154 | Fairfield, CA (61.26) | 154 | Burke, VA (78.00) | ||
| 155 | Winston-Salem, NC (61.00) | 155 | Solon, OH (77.91) | ||
| 156 | Joliet, IL (60.97) | 156 | Middleton, WI (77.80) | ||
| 157 | Kansas City, KS (60.97) | 157 | Paramus, NJ (77.77) | ||
| 158 | Glendale, AZ (60.91) | 158 | Geneva, IL (77.76) | ||
| 159 | Mesquite, TX (60.90) | 159 | King of Prussia, PA (77.74) | ||
| 160 | Vallejo, CA (60.88) | 160 | Doylestown, PA (77.71) | ||
| 161 | El Cajon, CA (60.83) | 161 | Quincy, MA (77.70) | ||
| 162 | Thornton, CO (60.82) | 162 | El Dorado Hills, CA (77.69) | ||
| 163 | Escondido, CA (60.69) | 163 | Redondo Beach, CA (77.68) | ||
| 164 | Tempe, AZ (60.55) | 164 | Park Ridge, IL (77.64) | ||
| 165 | Toledo, OH (60.54) | 165 | Merrick, NY (77.63) | ||
| 166 | Athens, GA (60.43) | 166 | Menomonee Falls, WI (77.59) | ||
| 167 | Bridgeport, CT (60.36) | 167 | Fairfax, VA (77.59) | ||
| 168 | Hartford, CT (60.34) | 168 | Allison Park, PA (77.58) | ||
| 169 | Orlando, FL (60.25) | 169 | Somerville, MA (77.51) | ||
| 170 | Antioch, CA (60.25) | 170 | Muskego, WI (77.50) | ||
| 171 | Dayton, OH (60.18) | 171 | Bethel Park, PA (77.49) | ||
| 172 | Cape Coral, FL (60.16) | 171 | Dix Hills, NY (77.49) | ||
| 173 | Downey, CA (60.10) | 173 | Downers Grove, IL (77.43) | ||
| 174 | Tyler, TX (60.04) | 174 | Beavercreek, OH (77.43) | ||
| 175 | Chattanooga, TN (59.92) | 175 | Cumberland Hill, RI (77.40) | ||
| 176 | West Palm Beach, FL (59.67) | 176 | Stoneham, MA (77.40) | ||
| 177 | Grand Prairie, TX (59.67) | 177 | Temple City, CA (77.38) | ||
| 178 | Davie, FL (59.61) | 178 | Commack, NY (77.32) | ||
| 179 | Coral Springs, FL (59.60) | 179 | Fairport, NY (77.24) | ||
| 180 | Salinas, CA (59.57) | 180 | Ballwin, MO (77.16) | ||
| 181 | Knoxville, TN (59.55) | 181 | Trenton, MI (77.14) | ||
| 182 | Chesapeake, VA (59.54) | 182 | Huntley, IL (77.14) | ||
| 183 | McAllen, TX (59.45) | 183 | Ames, IA (77.12) | ||
| 184 | Brandon, FL (59.22) | 184 | Estero, FL (77.06) | ||
| 185 | Vista, CA (59.21) | 185 | Mount Pleasant, WI (77.06) | ||
| 186 | Murfreesboro, TN (59.19) | 186 | Wauwatosa, WI (77.06) | ||
| 187 | Lakeland, FL (59.14) | 187 | Sonoma, CA (77.02) | ||
| 188 | Wichita Falls, TX (59.13) | 188 | Coppell, TX (76.97) | ||
| 189 | Norwalk, CA (58.93) | 189 | Onalaska, WI (76.97) | ||
| 190 | Pomona, CA (58.88) | 190 | Melville, NY (76.97) | ||
| 191 | Tallahassee, FL (58.87) | 191 | Rockville Centre, NY (76.93) | ||
| 192 | Greensboro, NC (58.87) | 192 | Sun City, AZ (76.90) | ||
| 193 | Hollywood, FL (58.80) | 193 | Cerritos, CA (76.87) | ||
| 194 | Spring Hill, FL (58.77) | 194 | Massapequa Park, NY (76.86) | ||
| 195 | Akron, OH (58.54) | 195 | Lake Zurich, IL (76.73) | ||
| 196 | Elizabeth, NJ (58.53) | 196 | Newington, CT (76.72) | ||
| 197 | Oxnard, CA (58.42) | 197 | Bethpage, NY (76.71) | ||
| 198 | High Point, NC (58.34) | 198 | Langhorne, PA (76.69) | ||
| 199 | Paterson, NJ (57.91) | 199 | Livonia, MI (76.60) | ||
| 200 | Ontario, CA (57.67) | 200 | Blacksburg, VA (76.59) | ||
| 201 | Newport News, VA (57.64) | 201 | Wakefield, MA (76.54) | ||
| 202 | Baton Rouge, LA (57.60) | 202 | Seaford, NY (76.52) | ||
| 203 | Lubbock, TX (57.59) | 203 | De Pere, WI (76.51) | ||
| 204 | Port St. Lucie, FL (57.51) | 204 | Medford, MA (76.49) | ||
| 205 | Las Cruces, NM (57.46) | 205 | Avon Lake, OH (76.47) | ||
| 206 | West Valley City, UT (57.39) | 206 | Frankfort, IL (76.43) | ||
| 207 | Beaumont, TX (57.33) | 207 | Mokena, IL (76.42) | ||
| 208 | Inglewood, CA (57.31) | 208 | Livermore, CA (76.39) | ||
| 209 | Fontana, CA (57.26) | 209 | St. Joseph, MI (76.39) | ||
| 210 | Abilene, TX (57.07) | 210 | Lake Orion, MI (76.34) | ||
| 211 | Macon-Bibb County, GA (57.02) | 211 | Walnut, CA (76.33) | ||
| 212 | Lancaster, CA (56.79) | 212 | Mount Prospect, IL (76.29) | ||
| 213 | Palmdale, CA (56.64) | 213 | Oro Valley, AZ (76.29) | ||
| 214 | Victorville, CA (56.39) | 214 | Norwood, MA (76.28) | ||
| 215 | San Bernardino, CA (56.16) | 215 | Alpharetta, GA (76.28) | ||
| 216 | Santa Maria, CA (55.94) | 216 | Braintree Town, MA (76.27) | ||
| 217 | Palm Bay, FL (55.79) | 217 | Ithaca, NY (76.26) | ||
| 218 | Norfolk, VA (55.56) | 218 | Mentor, OH (76.26) | ||
| 219 | Newark, NJ (54.78) | 219 | Naples, FL (76.25) | ||
| 220 | Hampton, VA (54.66) | 220 | Bothell, WA (76.14) | ||
| 221 | Columbus, GA (54.47) | 221 | Batavia, IL (76.14) | ||
| 222 | Mobile, AL (54.20) | 222 | Milford, CT (76.12) | ||
| 223 | Little Rock, AR (54.16) | 223 | Diamond Bar, CA (76.11) | ||
| 224 | Moreno Valley, CA (53.99) | 224 | Milton, MA (76.00) | ||
| 225 | Laredo, TX (53.79) | 225 | Plymouth, MN (76.00) | ||
| 226 | Columbia, SC (53.52) | 226 | Redwood City, CA (75.97) | ||
| 227 | North Las Vegas, NV (53.47) | 227 | North Haven, CT (75.97) | ||
| 228 | Waco, TX (52.57) | 228 | Centerville, OH (75.92) | ||
| 229 | Miramar, FL (52.46) | 229 | Framingham, MA (75.92) | ||
| 230 | Augusta, GA (51.92) | 230 | Brighton, MI (75.91) | ||
| 231 | Brownsville, TX (51.75) | 231 | Wethersfield, CT (75.89) | ||
| 232 | Shreveport, LA (51.66) | 232 | Castro Valley, CA (75.85) | ||
| 233 | Hialeah, FL (51.61) | 233 | Lisle, IL (75.85) | ||
| 234 | Rialto, CA (51.61) | 234 | Granger, IN (75.84) | ||
| 235 | Birmingham, AL (51.23) | 235 | Malvern, PA (75.82) | ||
| 236 | Lehigh Acres, FL (51.17) | 236 | Homosassa, FL (75.80) | ||
| 237 | Savannah, GA (50.84) | 236 | Mukilteo, WA (75.80) | ||
| 238 | Clarksville, TN (50.20) | 238 | Trumbull, CT (75.72) | ||
| 239 | North Charleston, SC (49.48) | 239 | Claremont, CA (75.72) | ||
| 240 | Fayetteville, NC (48.78) | 240 | Palatine, IL (75.72) | ||
| 241 | Montgomery, AL (48.78) | 240 | Encinitas, CA (75.72) | ||
| 242 | Miami Gardens, FL (47.62) | 242 | Olney, MD (75.71) | ||
| 243 | Killeen, TX (47.11) | 243 | Orland Park, IL (75.68) | ||
| 244 | Jackson, MS (45.89) | 244 | Auburn Hills, MI (75.67) | ||
| 245 | Novato, CA (75.65) | ||||
| 246 | Saddle Butte, MT (75.62) | ||||
| 247 | Union City, CA (75.61) | ||||
| 248 | Elk Grove Village, IL (75.58) | ||||
| 249 | Cypress, CA (75.57) | ||||
| 250 | San Rafael, CA (75.57) |
Note: For readability purposes, the above table displays only 250 of the 2,263 small cities ranked.
Credit Card Debt by State
Ask the Experts
Even with all the resources available today, many Americans still manage their money poorly. For advice and insight, we asked a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:
- Should financial skills be taught as a mandatory part of the high school curriculum?
- What is the most common mistake people make when it comes to managing their money?
- What is the best way for parents to teach their children how to manage money?
- Has the growth in mobile personal-finance apps actually helped people more effectively manage their money?
Ask the Experts
- Patrick A. Cozza
Executive in Residence and Lecturer, Wealth Management, Silberman College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Read More
- Daniel J. Galli
Principal, Daniel J. Galli & Associates & Instructor, Boston University
Read More
- Donovan J. Brooks
Owner & Founder, Storyline Financial Planning
Read More
- Ashley Dixon
CFP® - Lead Planner at Gen Y Planning
Read More
- Michael Zisa
Instructor, Bucks County Community College
Read More
- Mike Schupak
CFP® - Founder, Schupak Financial Advisors, LLC
Read More
More Experts
Methodology
In order to identify the cities where residents have the best money-management skills, WalletHub compared 2,572 U.S. cities based on 10 key metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best money-management skills.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. For our “Ranking by City Size,” we categorized each city according to the following population-size guidelines:
- Large cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people
- Small cities: Fewer than 100,000 people
The metrics are based on data from TransUnion (dating September 2019, the most recent available) and Renwood RealtyTrac. Each city in our sample refers to city proper and excludes the surrounding metro area.
Debt Level – Total Points: 50
- Credit-Card Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Mortgage Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Car-Loan Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Student-Loan Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Average % of Credit Used: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Financial Behavior – Total Points: 50
- Median Credit Score: Double Weight (~16.67 Points)
- Average Number of Late Payments: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Share of Delinquent Debtors: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Share of Adults with a Recent Bankruptcy: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, TransUnion and Renwood RealtyTrac.