Cities With the Best & Worst Budgeters (2025)

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing EditorFeb 5, 2025

John S Kiernan, WalletHub Managing Editor
Feb 5, 2025

The economic struggles we’ve endured in recent years have placed considerable emphasis on both the importance of budgeting and how difficult it is to stick to a budget. In fact, a recent WalletHub survey found that 74% of Americans with a budget say rising costs are their biggest budgeting challenge.

In the interest of giving the most responsible consumers their just due while putting everyone else on notice, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities to find where the best budgeters in America live. We did so by examining 12 key metrics, ranging from the average credit score to debt-to-income ratios to foreclosure rates.

“Creating a budget is essential because it helps you avoid overspending and enables you to meet your financial goals like paying off debt, building an emergency fund or saving for retirement. Budgeting can also improve your credit score by helping you develop responsible financial habits, and can make it easier to catch fraud.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Learning how to budget properly can do wonders for your financial life. Once you have the process down, you can create a budget that will not only help you keep track of your spending but also help you meet broader financial goals – and you might be able to join the ranks of the best budgeters in America.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Cities with Best & Worst Budgeters

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Spending & Debt Rank	Credit Rank	Savings Rank
1	Seattle, WA	81.93	2	3	3
2	Fremont, CA	78.61	1	24	40
3	Honolulu, HI	78.30	3	66	1
4	Pearl City, HI	77.27	6	59	1
5	San Jose, CA	76.68	4	34	23
6	Minneapolis, MN	76.23	8	12	10
7	South Burlington, VT	75.42	19	1	28
8	St. Paul, MN	74.86	21	7	10
9	Huntington Beach, CA	74.60	5	35	55
10	Tacoma, WA	74.45	24	29	3
11	Burlington, VT	74.24	15	16	28
12	San Francisco, CA	74.22	7	31	40
13	Boston, MA	74.21	17	25	15
14	Nashua, NH	73.87	14	19	31
15	Vancouver, WA	73.77	28	17	7
16	Spokane, WA	73.61	11	27	30
17	Madison, WI	73.50	10	8	64
18	Worcester, MA	73.11	13	40	22
19	Irvine, CA	72.74	12	31	55
20	San Diego, CA	72.44	23	43	24
21	Warwick, RI	72.02	37	13	12
22	Columbia, MD	71.66	16	61	37
23	Portland, OR	71.45	26	4	66
24	Fargo, ND	71.25	18	23	71
25	Denver, CO	70.93	22	14	73
26	Providence, RI	70.69	42	41	12
27	Oakland, CA	70.17	25	56	40
28	Garden Grove, CA	70.11	30	39	55
29	Juneau, AK	70.08	9	22	128
30	Boise, ID	69.99	31	2	103
31	Overland Park, KS	69.72	29	20	72
32	Manchester, NH	69.63	40	46	31
33	Colorado Springs, CO	69.45	34	33	36
34	Oceanside, CA	68.96	43	72	24
35	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	68.79	33	63	49
36	Anaheim, CA	68.55	35	55	55
37	Bismarck, ND	68.40	32	10	119
38	Virginia Beach, VA	68.27	58	37	18
39	Anchorage, AK	68.25	20	44	128
40	Washington, DC	68.23	54	87	6
40	Aurora, CO	68.23	36	36	73
42	Long Beach, CA	67.75	39	77	55
43	Santa Ana, CA	67.51	46	56	55
44	Salt Lake City, UT	67.41	48	6	83
45	Santa Rosa, CA	67.34	44	49	43
46	Santa Clarita, CA	67.20	62	11	55
47	Sioux Falls, SD	67.15	45	30	81
48	Omaha, NE	66.98	52	15	70
49	Chula Vista, CA	66.98	66	58	24
50	Rapid City, SD	66.84	27	48	132
51	Richmond, VA	66.75	74	42	27
52	Sacramento, CA	66.52	67	91	16
53	Milwaukee, WI	66.48	63	50	35
54	Chesapeake, VA	66.19	85	38	18
55	Riverside, CA	65.92	55	70	49
56	Wilmington, DE	65.91	56	138	14
57	Cedar Rapids, IA	65.87	38	21	135
58	Glendale, CA	65.75	61	54	55
59	Portland, ME	65.39	78	5	82
60	Ontario, CA	65.04	64	80	49
61	Fresno, CA	64.96	50	79	43
62	Jersey City, NJ	64.87	41	107	101
63	West Valley City, UT	64.61	70	45	83
64	Nampa, ID	64.39	71	18	103
65	Lincoln, NE	64.31	49	9	139
66	Los Angeles, CA	64.26	78	74	55
67	Wichita, KS	63.81	53	90	93
68	Norfolk, VA	63.76	107	62	18
69	Fontana, CA	63.70	82	72	49
70	Modesto, CA	63.52	69	85	43
71	Rochester, NY	63.24	47	153	68
72	New Haven, CT	63.24	73	115	8
73	Oxnard, CA	63.12	80	69	43
74	Salem, OR	62.85	57	28	138
75	Bakersfield, CA	62.82	72	95	43
76	Des Moines, IA	62.61	65	26	135
77	Austin, TX	62.57	90	100	37
78	Yonkers, NY	62.45	59	133	75
79	San Bernardino, CA	62.33	83	120	49
80	Buffalo, NY	62.07	51	160	68
81	Kansas City, MO	61.72	91	96	65
82	Newport News, VA	61.67	125	71	18
83	Stockton, CA	61.62	84	92	43
84	Scottsdale, AZ	61.29	96	67	85
85	Baltimore, MD	61.07	103	121	37
86	St. Petersburg, FL	60.94	106	134	33
87	Tempe, AZ	60.71	88	101	85
88	Moreno Valley, CA	60.67	110	99	49
89	Billings, MT	60.61	60	60	147
90	Pittsburgh, PA	60.57	68	84	126
91	Aurora, IL	60.34	95	68	105
92	Chandler, AZ	60.08	104	88	85
93	Reno, NV	59.60	77	103	127
94	Gilbert, AZ	59.57	116	65	85
95	Chicago, IL	59.17	108	76	105
96	Cheyenne, WY	59.10	76	53	153
97	Tampa, FL	58.96	124	145	33
98	New York, NY	58.79	113	112	75
99	Orlando, FL	58.78	139	148	17
100	Missoula, MT	58.66	89	47	147
101	Philadelphia, PA	58.52	86	122	120
102	St. Louis, MO	58.50	102	97	107
103	Grand Rapids, MI	58.47	81	81	147
104	Plano, TX	58.45	112	108	94
105	Charlotte, NC	58.38	100	104	114
106	Mesa, AZ	58.00	121	101	85
107	Peoria, AZ	57.91	130	78	85
108	Glendale, AZ	57.82	120	109	85
109	Fort Wayne, IN	57.54	75	83	161
110	Irving, TX	57.36	119	130	94
111	Pembroke Pines, FL	57.29	131	132	77
112	Albuquerque, NM	56.93	92	110	130
113	Lewiston, ME	56.83	97	52	158
114	Knoxville, TN	56.77	123	64	124
115	Fort Lauderdale, FL	56.43	136	128	77
116	Dover, DE	56.15	138	164	5
117	Tucson, AZ	55.91	109	94	145
118	Port St. Lucie, FL	55.86	105	165	115
119	Casper, WY	55.79	111	51	153
120	Arlington, TX	55.69	134	143	94
121	Atlanta, GA	55.62	87	140	140
122	Phoenix, AZ	55.52	145	116	85
123	Springfield, MO	55.45	93	126	152
124	Amarillo, TX	55.14	114	151	108
125	Durham, NC	54.96	94	89	164
126	Henderson, NV	54.81	129	118	121
127	Charleston, SC	54.57	117	106	142
128	Raleigh, NC	54.49	99	93	164
129	Bridgeport, CT	54.44	154	124	8
130	Newark, NJ	54.28	140	172	101
131	Tallahassee, FL	54.09	127	137	115
132	Miami, FL	54.02	151	145	77
133	Nashville, TN	53.96	132	75	133
134	Garland, TX	53.87	147	158	94
135	Fort Worth, TX	53.85	148	151	94
136	Hialeah, FL	53.80	152	150	77
137	Winston-Salem, NC	53.72	98	123	164
138	Cape Coral, FL	53.56	137	127	115
139	Dallas, TX	53.35	155	136	94
140	Columbia, SC	53.34	115	159	142
141	Cincinnati, OH	52.78	128	86	146
142	Brownsville, TX	52.54	143	144	108
143	San Antonio, TX	52.44	166	155	67
144	Columbus, OH	51.75	135	82	151
145	Grand Prairie, TX	51.69	159	161	94
146	Lexington-Fayette, KY	51.51	122	98	170
147	Jacksonville, FL	51.50	146	156	115
148	Las Vegas, NV	51.06	156	149	121
149	Corpus Christi, TX	50.92	149	166	108
150	Las Cruces, NM	50.84	118	131	171
151	Columbus, GA	49.62	126	175	158
152	Houston, TX	49.41	153	141	141
153	Detroit, MI	49.08	165	167	125
154	Laredo, TX	49.07	158	163	108
155	Lubbock, TX	48.84	160	161	108
156	Greensboro, NC	48.78	142	129	164
157	Indianapolis, IN	48.78	162	135	131
158	Charleston, WV	48.70	101	125	181
159	Huntsville, AL	48.31	133	154	172
160	Akron, OH	48.15	150	119	162
161	Chattanooga, TN	47.74	144	105	176
162	North Las Vegas, NV	47.61	174	168	121
163	Louisville, KY	47.43	169	114	144
164	El Paso, TX	46.21	176	141	108
165	Birmingham, AL	45.99	172	171	134
166	Oklahoma City, OK	45.30	161	157	155
167	Little Rock, AR	45.20	157	173	157
168	Fayetteville, NC	44.79	167	139	164
169	Augusta, GA	44.74	164	170	158
170	Baton Rouge, LA	44.47	163	179	150
171	Cleveland, OH	44.45	181	111	137
172	Fort Smith, AR	44.23	141	177	177
173	Toledo, OH	44.07	173	117	162
174	Tulsa, OK	41.09	168	169	177
175	Montgomery, AL	39.43	178	176	172
176	Mobile, AL	39.10	180	174	172
177	Huntington, WV	38.87	171	147	181
178	New Orleans, LA	38.29	177	178	169
179	Jackson, MS	37.16	182	181	156
180	Gulfport, MS	37.01	170	180	180
181	Memphis, TN	36.68	175	113	179
182	Shreveport, LA	36.46	179	182	175

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of each city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that category.

Average Credit Score

Highest

Highest
1. South Burlington, VT
2. Santa Clarita, CA
3. Overland Park, KS
4. Fremont, CA
5. Pearl City, HI

Lowest

Lowest
T-177. Fort Smith, AR
T-177. Montgomery, AL
179. San Bernardino, CA
180. Shreveport, LA
181. Newark, NJ
182. Detroit, MI

Non-Mortgage Debt as % of Median Earnings

Lowest

Lowest
1. Fremont, CA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Seattle, WA
4. Huntington Beach, CA
5. Washington, DC

Highest

Highest
178. Brownsville, TX
179. El Paso, TX
180. Miami, FL
181. Laredo, TX
182. Hialeah, FL

Foreclosure Rate

Lowest

Lowest
1. Madison, WI
2. Overland Park, KS
3. Manchester, NH
4. Fargo, ND
5. Salem, OR

Highest

Highest
174. Toledo, OH
175. Dover, DE
176. Cleveland, OH
177. North Las Vegas, NV
178. Bridgeport, CT

Credit Utilization (%)

Lowest

Lowest
1. South Burlington, VT
2. Fremont, CA
3. Port St. Lucie, FL
4. Fargo, ND
5. Juneau, AK

Highest

Highest
178. Newark, NJ
179. Huntington, WV
180. Newport News, VA
181. Fayetteville, NC
182. New York, NY

In-Depth Look at the Cities With the Best Budgeters

Seattle, WA

Seattle has the best budgeters in the U.S., with residents boasting some of the country’s lowest debt-to-income ratios for credit card debt, student loan debt and car loan debt. The average credit card debt is around 8.5% of the average median yearly income in Seattle, while the average student loan debt is 55.6% and the average car loan debt is 25%. This shows that people are budgeting an appropriate amount of money toward paying down debt each month.

Seattle residents also have one of the lowest credit utilization ratios in the country, with residents using less than 33% of their credit limits, on average. This is very close to 30%, the recommended maximum. For context, though, only two cities in this study have a utilization ratio below 30%, and some have ratios as high as 60%.

Another way people in Seattle show their ability to stick to a budget is by having one of the lowest 90-day mortgage delinquency rates in the country. This demonstrates that residents are organized about paying by their due dates and leave enough money in their budgets for their biggest bills.

Fremont, CA

Fremont, CA, has the country’s second-best budgeters. The budgeting prowess of Fremont residents is demonstrated by the fact that the city has extremely low debt-to-income ratios when it comes to credit card debt (6.2%), student loan debt (41.4%) and car loan debt (23.8%). In other words, people in Fremont take out reasonably-sized loans compared to the amount of money they make.

In addition, Fremont residents don’t use too big of a portion of their revolving credit. The average credit utilization ratio in the city is 29.5%, which makes Fremont one of only two cities where the average person meets the recommended credit utilization ratio of less than 30%.

Finally, Fremont residents keep their non-loan expenses low. They have the second-lowest housing expenses (as a percentage of the median home price) and the third-lowest non-housing expenses, adjusted for the cost of living.

Honolulu, HI

Honolulu has the third-best budgeters in the country, in large part because it has the lowest share of residents who pay only the minimum on their credit card each month, at 25.6%. That means most people are paying more than they’re required to. This helps reduce or eliminate interest on credit card balances and proves that people generally are not spending beyond their means.

Honolulu also has the highest share of adults who set aside money for emergency funds or rainy day funds, at 64.4%. Not only does this demonstrate good budgeting skills, but it also reduces the likelihood that unexpected situations will disrupt future budgeting and bill payments.

To top things off, typical non-housing expenses in the city only make up less than 33% of the median income, adjusted for the cost of living. In addition, housing expenses make up only around 1.5% of the median home price. These are the lowest ratios in the country, which means that residents are keeping their expenses reasonable and are able to put more money toward saving and investing.

Ask the Experts

Being a good budgeter isn’t just about staying out of debt. The best budgeters make the most of what they have by adhering to a well-crafted spending plan that accounts for the unexpected. To expand the discussion, we’ve asked a panel of experts to share their wisdom and insight on the subject. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

What tips do you have for consumers looking to make a budget and stick to it?
What is the biggest obstacle for consumers trying to stick to their budget?
What tips do you have for consumers to get out of debt and stay debt free?
How should parents teach children about the importance of budgeting?

Ask the Experts

Julie Mull
Ph.D., CFP®, ChFC®, MBA – Business Department Chair; Program Director - CFP Board Registered Programs – Carroll College
Read More

Steve Isbell
MSRE Graduate Advisor, Senior Lecturer, Internship Coordinator, Finance and Real Estate – University of Texas at Arlington
Read More

Melanie D. Jewkes
Extension Professor – Utah State University Extension - Salt Lake County
Read More

Carrie Sorenson
MPH, AFC® – Family and Consumer Sciences Educator – University of Maryland Extension
Read More

Mark Scanlan
Professor of Economics – Stephen F Austin State University
Read More

Dr. Maria Edlin King
Director, Tennessee Council on Economic & Free Enterprise Education, Jones College of Business – Middle Tennessee State University
Read More

More Experts

5 Tips for Better Budgeting

Start with a plan: You're more likely to succeed and stay on track if you have a solid plan. The budgeting process involves gathering information about your finances, setting goals for what you want to accomplish, allocating money based on how essential each expense is and tracking your progress. Understanding budgeting is important because it can help stop you from overspending, improve your credit score, prepare you for the future and more.
Use free budgeting tools: You can take advantage of online budgeting tools to build your ideal budget, whether you prefer to micromanage every expense or just create a few general categories.
Keep your priorities straight: Your monthly debt payoff should be your first priority. Then comes essential expenses, like bills, groceries, and gas, along with saving money for the future. Only after these things are taken care of should you allocate money for “wants.”
Try out different budgeting methods: There are a variety of budgeting strategies you can use, and the best one may differ from person to person. Some strategies (like the 50/30/20 budget) recommend spending specific percentages of your budget on needs, wants and savings, while others emphasize making sure every dollar is accounted for (zero-based budgeting method) or focus on setting strict spending limits on different spending categories (envelope method). The key is to find out which one works best for you.
Stick to your budget: Track your spending on a daily basis so you constantly know your progress, or just sync your bank accounts and credit cards with a budgeting app. In addition, keep your long-term budget goals written down in a place where you’ll see them often, and partner with a family member or friend to hold each other accountable.

Methodology

In order to determine the cities with the best and worst budgeters, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Spending and Debt, 2) Credit and 3) Savings.

We evaluated those categories using 12 relevant 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 budgeting skills.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

Spending & Debt – Total Points: 50

Total Non-Mortgage Debt as a Percentage of Median Income: Full Weight (~9.09 Points)
Bankruptcy Rate: Half Weight (~4.55 Points)
Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~9.09 Points)
Housing Expenses as a Percentage of Median Home Price: Half Weight (~4.55 Points)
Total Non-Housing Expenses Relative to Average Income: Half Weight (~4.55 Points)
Credit Utilization (%): Full Weight (~9.09 Points)
Percentage of the Population Spending More Than They Make: Half Weight (~4.55 Points)
Percentage of the Population Paying Only the Minimum on Their Credit Cards: Half Weight (~4.55 Points)

Credit – Total Points: 25

Average Credit Score: Full Weight (~16.67 Points)
Delinquency Rate (Mortgages, Auto Loans, Student Loans and Credit Cards): Half Weight (~8.33 Points)

Savings – Total Points: 25

Rainy Day Funds: Half Weight (~12.50 Points)
Percentage of Unbanked Households: Half Weight (~12.50 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of January 9, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Council for Community and Economic Research, ATTOM, a property data provider - U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, FINRA Investor Education Foundation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and WalletHub research.

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