Cities With the Highest and Lowest Credit Card Debts (2026)

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterJun 12, 2025

cities with the highest credit card debts

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
Jun 12, 2025

Americans owe $1.36 trillion in credit card debt, which comes out to roughly $10,800 per household. We’re expected to increase the total by another $100 billion this year, too, which is an indicator of how out-of-control spending has become.

Spending beyond your means on a credit card can cost you dearly in interest, and it can damage your credit score. The areas with the highest balances therefore have real cause for concern. To identify the cities with the highest and lowest credit-card debts, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities based upon the latest data from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve.

Cities With the Highest Credit Card Debts per Household

Santa Clarita, CA ($21,625)
Chula Vista, CA ($20,837)
New York, NY ($19,540)
Rancho Cucamonga, CA ($19,515)
Fontana, CA ($19,325)

“Some of the cities where households owe the most credit card debt, like Santa Clarita and Chula Vista, CA, have high median incomes, high debt payoff rates and low delinquency rates; this indicates that residents may simply have high credit card limits and can afford to borrow more. Other cities, like New York, have high average credit card debts driven more by financial struggles, which we can see in the number of people who are in financial distress or who are delinquent on their debt.”

John Kiernan, WalletHub Analyst

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Cities with the Highest and Lowest Credit Card Debts

Rank*	City	Household Credit Card Debt	Total Credit Card Debt
1	Santa Clarita, CA	$21,625	$1,627,963,630
2	Chula Vista, CA	$20,837	$1,775,200,391
3	New York, NY	$19,540	$64,741,483,799
4	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	$19,515	$1,130,803,475
5	Fontana, CA	$19,325	$1,103,664,505
6	Oxnard, CA	$19,144	$991,610,289
7	Gilbert, AZ	$18,914	$1,734,655,785
8	Santa Ana, CA	$18,546	$1,477,959,913
9	Riverside, CA	$18,462	$1,705,276,802
10	Moreno Valley, CA	$18,414	$1,009,223,865
11	Chesapeake, VA	$18,326	$1,692,626,443
12	Glendale, CA	$18,208	$1,332,448,729
13	Scottsdale, AZ	$18,152	$2,138,111,820
14	Pembroke Pines, FL	$18,147	$1,161,285,969
15	Pearl City, HI	$17,922	$267,844,036
16	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$17,654	$1,422,433,173
17	Henderson, NV	$17,399	$2,218,444,068
18	Plano, TX	$17,303	$1,912,350,268
19	Los Angeles, CA	$17,268	$24,514,757,723
20	Ontario, CA	$17,238	$907,800,499
21	Atlanta, GA	$16,948	$3,923,425,409
22	Virginia Beach, VA	$16,930	$3,044,043,782
23	North Las Vegas, NV	$16,902	$1,450,433,973
24	Anchorage, AK	$16,761	$1,808,017,227
25	Anaheim, CA	$16,678	$1,764,846,314
26	Huntington Beach, CA	$16,589	$1,286,433,998
27	New Orleans, LA	$16,565	$2,568,525,039
28	Irvine, CA	$16,522	$1,850,097,441
29	San Diego, CA	$16,452	$8,590,230,806
30	Cape Coral, FL	$16,410	$1,300,590,071
31	Garden Grove, CA	$16,319	$793,908,977
32	Port St. Lucie, FL	$16,303	$1,290,953,488
33	Peoria, AZ	$16,224	$1,186,997,013
34	Dallas, TX	$16,180	$8,543,783,153
35	Long Beach, CA	$16,009	$2,742,450,195
36	Las Vegas, NV	$15,986	$3,907,342,277
37	Oceanside, CA	$15,979	$981,404,644
38	Chandler, AZ	$15,960	$1,689,676,048
39	Columbia, SC	$15,821	$819,295,965
40	Honolulu, HI	$15,779	$2,149,592,461
41	San Jose, CA	$15,687	$5,126,062,031
42	Fort Worth, TX	$15,631	$5,224,323,306
43	Charleston, SC	$15,291	$1,015,463,917
44	San Francisco, CA	$15,269	$5,537,342,266
45	San Bernardino, CA	$15,169	$957,687,045
46	San Antonio, TX	$15,169	$8,310,823,008
47	Juneau, AK	$15,135	$198,843,901
48	Grand Prairie, TX	$15,064	$1,008,416,493
49	Santa Rosa, CA	$15,060	$1,027,597,662
50	Bakersfield, CA	$14,965	$1,909,863,363
51	Austin, TX	$14,937	$6,576,509,589
52	Stockton, CA	$14,887	$1,463,323,911
53	Miami, FL	$14,871	$2,829,669,248
54	Fresno, CA	$14,832	$2,665,057,560
55	Tampa, FL	$14,713	$2,361,802,242
56	Columbia, MD	$14,696	$605,740,137
57	Modesto, CA	$14,688	$1,063,686,347
58	Yonkers, NY	$14,635	$1,178,878,683
59	Boston, MA	$14,627	$4,084,009,186
60	Oakland, CA	$14,624	$2,532,632,138
61	Norfolk, VA	$14,596	$1,378,686,672
62	Phoenix, AZ	$14,580	$8,768,324,526
63	Jacksonville, FL	$14,550	$5,598,052,272
64	Aurora, CO	$14,488	$2,074,326,164
65	Baton Rouge, LA	$14,451	$1,265,981,393
66	Washington, DC	$14,413	$4,634,518,876
67	Nashville, TN	$14,380	$4,364,831,445
68	Glendale, AZ	$14,361	$1,245,606,103
69	Arlington, TX	$14,333	$2,012,409,564
70	Reno, NV	$14,320	$1,604,686,580
71	St. Petersburg, FL	$14,243	$1,663,145,709
72	Charlotte, NC	$14,210	$5,131,147,141
73	Corpus Christi, TX	$14,201	$1,676,295,335
74	Tallahassee, FL	$14,169	$1,185,067,738
75	El Paso, TX	$14,137	$3,427,880,240
76	Fayetteville, NC	$14,104	$1,149,485,229
77	Laredo, TX	$13,951	$1,063,874,566
78	Sacramento, CA	$13,950	$2,781,743,143
79	Augusta, GA	$13,928	$1,023,611,157
80	Houston, TX	$13,926	$12,764,019,862
81	Burlington, VT	$13,907	$246,033,737
82	Colorado Springs, CO	$13,856	$2,744,551,576
83	Overland Park, KS	$13,816	$1,146,213,967
84	Fremont, CA	$13,736	$1,057,932,460
85	Mesa, AZ	$13,726	$2,691,131,239
86	West Valley City, UT	$13,702	$532,378,489
87	Garland, TX	$13,658	$1,103,734,881
88	Denver, CO	$13,655	$4,500,412,970
89	Tacoma, WA	$13,625	$1,248,173,661
90	Raleigh, NC	$13,610	$2,680,104,305
91	Aurora, IL	$13,520	$816,579,756
92	Lubbock, TX	$13,498	$1,420,776,813
93	Vancouver, WA	$13,486	$1,075,436,582
94	Chicago, IL	$13,397	$15,360,396,625
95	Nampa, ID	$13,376	$498,990,442
96	Nashua, NH	$13,368	$493,362,478
97	Warwick, RI	$13,342	$483,076,788
98	Hialeah, FL	$13,319	$1,029,445,657
99	Orlando, FL	$13,289	$1,683,215,832
100	Brownsville, TX	$13,182	$771,397,257
101	Gulfport, MS	$13,157	$373,932,348
102	Seattle, WA	$13,080	$4,617,561,952
103	Irving, TX	$13,028	$1,227,888,835
104	Little Rock, AR	$12,980	$1,127,313,041
105	Knoxville, TN	$12,944	$1,098,749,237
106	Columbus, GA	$12,942	$1,043,152,874
107	Salem, OR	$12,941	$867,427,742
108	Tempe, AZ	$12,911	$994,868,847
109	Mobile, AL	$12,909	$1,001,571,667
110	Portland, OR	$12,897	$3,701,702,160
111	Huntsville, AL	$12,874	$1,210,930,544
112	Richmond, VA	$12,766	$1,303,983,451
113	Tulsa, OK	$12,744	$2,184,037,335
114	Birmingham, AL	$12,665	$1,121,152,641
115	Salt Lake City, UT	$12,643	$1,124,408,428
116	Amarillo, TX	$12,615	$991,681,784
117	Wilmington, DE	$12,613	$404,385,994
118	Spokane, WA	$12,538	$1,211,192,488
119	Providence, RI	$12,531	$881,071,763
120	Dover, DE	$12,508	$193,399,499
121	Montgomery, AL	$12,441	$1,001,998,759
122	Greensboro, NC	$12,383	$1,500,739,422
123	Baltimore, MD	$12,375	$3,101,165,933
124	Newport News, VA	$12,355	$936,488,572
125	Durham, NC	$12,349	$1,522,831,555
126	Memphis, TN	$12,309	$3,132,920,071
127	Tucson, AZ	$12,292	$2,766,874,266
128	Shreveport, LA	$12,200	$919,285,044
129	Cheyenne, WY	$12,192	$353,029,663
130	Rapid City, SD	$12,175	$389,121,160
131	Chattanooga, TN	$12,167	$948,041,173
132	Boise, ID	$12,164	$1,211,693,829
133	Kansas City, MO	$12,123	$2,660,848,215
134	Oklahoma City, OK	$12,109	$3,332,204,058
135	Lexington-Fayette, KY	$12,009	$1,654,848,233
136	Winston-Salem, NC	$11,948	$1,198,093,868
137	Albuquerque, NM	$11,893	$2,879,443,798
138	Pittsburgh, PA	$11,878	$1,634,354,949
139	Bridgeport, CT	$11,829	$656,496,842
140	Jackson, MS	$11,815	$731,987,015
141	Jersey City, NJ	$11,775	$1,449,850,446
142	Las Cruces, NM	$11,732	$547,425,755
143	Billings, MT	$11,723	$590,119,839
144	Minneapolis, MN	$11,705	$2,211,656,993
145	Casper, WY	$11,699	$296,118,758
146	Omaha, NE	$11,617	$2,322,553,058
147	Manchester, NH	$11,592	$574,353,136
148	Philadelphia, PA	$11,579	$7,749,003,268
149	Worcester, MA	$11,563	$914,473,773
150	Fort Smith, AR	$11,561	$421,729,640
151	St. Paul, MN	$11,460	$1,410,350,876
152	St. Louis, MO	$11,455	$1,654,691,857
153	Missoula, MT	$11,335	$384,922,077
154	Sioux Falls, SD	$11,332	$938,682,357
155	Lincoln, NE	$11,304	$1,364,316,505
156	Wichita, KS	$11,130	$1,754,533,429
157	Bismarck, ND	$11,066	$356,425,901
158	Cincinnati, OH	$10,942	$1,562,570,351
159	Rutland, VT	$10,887	$81,000,396
160	Springfield, MO	$10,863	$862,928,076
161	New Haven, CT	$10,861	$580,220,106
162	Louisville, KY	$10,854	$2,851,865,919
163	Columbus, OH	$10,850	$4,194,510,528
164	Indianapolis, IN	$10,834	$3,896,511,430
165	Charleston, WV	$10,823	$229,858,107
166	Huntington, WV	$10,771	$211,403,461
167	Grand Rapids, MI	$10,717	$856,782,304
168	Portland, ME	$10,682	$346,024,441
169	Fargo, ND	$10,636	$623,588,607
170	Detroit, MI	$10,607	$2,685,832,311
171	Buffalo, NY	$10,562	$1,262,624,760
172	Lewiston, ME	$10,553	$166,249,128
173	Newark, NJ	$10,528	$1,197,503,132
174	Akron, OH	$10,512	$881,483,893
175	Des Moines, IA	$10,474	$943,583,222
176	Cleveland, OH	$10,106	$1,704,329,371
177	Fort Wayne, IN	$10,096	$1,106,600,386
178	Rochester, NY	$10,096	$931,118,651
179	Milwaukee, WI	$10,045	$2,321,301,738
180	Cedar Rapids, IA	$9,684	$570,115,780
181	Toledo, OH	$9,458	$1,120,793,101
182	Madison, WI	$8,941	$1,124,605,710

Note: *No. 1 = Highest Household Credit Card Debt.

In-Depth Look at the Cities with the Highest Credit Card Debts

Santa Clarita, CA

Santa Clarita, CA, is the city with the highest credit card debt per household. The average household owes $21,625 on their credit cards, and that adds up to a total of over $1.6 billion for all of the residents collectively.

However, Santa Clarita also ranks as the city that paid off the most household debt during Q1 2025. It also has a much higher median income than the U.S. average. This indicates that people may simply have big credit card limits and can afford to spend a lot.

Chula Vista, CA

Chula Vista, CA, is the city with the second-highest credit card debt per household. The average household credit card debt in the city is $20,837. That adds up to a total of around $1.8 billion for Chula Vista’s population.

Like Santa Clarita, Chula Vista is also a wealthy city where many people can manage high spending. Chula Vista residents paid off the seventh-most household debt during Q1 2025. It also has a relatively low share of people in financial distress, and it ranks 63rd out of 100 of the largest cities when it comes to debt delinquency.

New York, NY

New York households have the third-most credit card debt debt in the country, at $19,540 on average. Collectively, residents of the densely-populated Big Apple owe close to $65 billion to their credit card companies.

New York residents paid off the 47th-most household debt during Q1 2025 out of more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities. However, the city also has plenty of people who are struggling. It has the 13th-largest share of residents in financial distress and the 48th-highest debt delinquency rate.

Ask the Experts

WalletHub posed the following questions about credit card debts to a panel of experts. You can see who they are and what advice they had to share below. Just click “Read More” under an expert’s name and title to check out their comments.

What factors contribute to the high levels of credit card debt in certain cities?
How does financial literacy education impact credit card debt levels in various cities?
What role should local banks play in helping residents manage their credit card debts?
What are the most common financial challenges faced by residents in cities with high credit card debt levels?

Ask the Experts

Dr. Laura H. Manyweather
Adjunct Professor, Business Entrepreneurship and Technology Systems Department of the Business and Civic Engagement Pathway – Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
Read More

Leela Varadharajan
MS, MBA, CFP® – Finance Instructor |Financial Planning Program Director – Oregon State University | College of Business
Read More

Alex Dontoh
Professor of Accounting, Academic Director Master of Science in Accounting - New York University Stern School of Business
Read More

Christine Callahan
Ph.D., LCSW-C - University of Maryland School of Social Work – Affiliate and Director, Financial Social Work Solutions
Read More

Methodology

To determine the cities with the highest and lowest credit card debts, WalletHub compared 182 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state – based on our analysis of the latest data on consumers’ finances from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve, adjusted for inflation. We then used the results to rank-order the cities.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 13, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, TransUnion & Federal Reserve.

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