Cities with the Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt (2026)

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterDec 8, 2025

Cities with the Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt

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Americans are carrying over $1.3 trillion in credit card debt as of Q3 2025 a staggering figure that continues to climb. The average U.S. household now owes more than $11,000 in credit card debt, marking a 0.5% decrease from the previous year.

However, credit card debt isn’t impacting everyone equally. To find out where Americans are managing their debt more or less sustainably, WalletHub analyzed TransUnion credit data to estimate the cost and time needed to pay off median credit card balances across more than 180 U.S. cities.

“In the cities with the least sustainable credit card debt, residents tend to have low median incomes, which contributes to larger than average credit card debts. As a result, people are only able to make small payments on their debts each month, stretching out the amount of time to get debt-free to as long as 9 years. This can lead to thousands of dollars in interest payments – in some cases, more interest than the amount of debt they currently owe.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Cities with the Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt

Overall Rank*	City	Median Credit Card Debt	Cost to Pay Off	Payoff Time (Income Adjusted)
1	Gulfport, MS	$2,997	$3,532	105 months and 9 days
2	North Las Vegas, NV	$3,271	$3,618	99 months and 26 days
3	Tallahassee, FL	$3,252	$3,380	94 months and 23 days
4	Pembroke Pines, FL	$3,855	$4,007	94 months and 22 days
5	New Orleans, LA	$3,759	$3,898	94 months and 16 days
6	Port St. Lucie, FL	$3,378	$3,473	93 months and 26 days
7	El Paso, TX	$3,000	$3,061	93 months and 8 days
8	Knoxville, TN	$3,090	$3,147	93 months and 3 days
9	Norfolk, VA	$3,360	$3,154	86 months and 26 days
10	Birmingham, AL	$2,974	$2,723	85 months and 1 day
11	San Antonio, TX	$3,150	$2,881	84 months and 29 days
12	Jackson, MS	$2,588	$2,298	82 months and 25 days
13	Miami, FL	$2,966	$2,596	81 months and 24 days
14	Dallas, TX	$3,435	$2,982	81 months and 7 days
15	Fayetteville, NC	$2,856	$2,451	80 months and 12 days
16	Cape Coral, FL	$3,237	$2,758	79 months and 28 days
17	Oxnard, CA	$2,889	$2,370	77 months and 10 days
18	Columbus, GA	$2,815	$2,249	75 months and 18 days
19	Springfield, MO	$2,555	$2,027	75 months and 3 days
20	Baton Rouge, LA	$3,007	$2,368	74 months and 20 days
21	Lubbock, TX	$2,999	$2,348	74 months and 8 days
22	Laredo, TX	$2,580	$2,016	74 months and 4 days
23	Nashville, TN	$3,577	$2,790	74 months and 1 day
24	Tucson, AZ	$2,827	$2,201	73 months and 29 days
25	Augusta, GA	$2,650	$2,046	73 months and 12 days
26	Chesapeake, VA	$3,796	$2,907	72 months and 26 days
27	Jacksonville, FL	$3,126	$2,378	72 months and 13 days
28	Shreveport, LA	$2,838	$2,158	72 months and 12 days
29	Corpus Christi, TX	$2,995	$2,265	72 months and 2 days
30	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$3,607	$2,721	71 months and 28 days
31	Missoula, MT	$2,994	$2,195	70 months and 4 days
32	Memphis, TN	$2,706	$1,974	69 months and 26 days
33	Virginia Beach, VA	$3,623	$2,626	69 months and 13 days
34	Little Rock, AR	$3,211	$2,313	69 months and 2 days
35	Reno, NV	$3,249	$2,336	68 months and 29 days
36	Greensboro, NC	$2,845	$2,040	68 months and 24 days
37	St. Petersburg, FL	$3,319	$2,371	68 months and 17 days
38	Las Vegas, NV	$3,036	$2,104	66 months and 23 days
39	New York, NY	$4,043	$2,775	66 months and 6 days
40	Fontana, CA	$3,100	$2,127	66 months and 5 days
41	Brownsville, TX	$2,314	$1,585	66 months and 2 days
42	San Bernardino, CA	$2,546	$1,740	65 months and 28 days
43	Chula Vista, CA	$3,559	$2,423	65 months and 22 days
44	Tulsa, OK	$2,807	$1,900	65 months and 11 days
45	Mobile, AL	$2,650	$1,792	65 months and 10 days
46	Nampa, ID	$2,683	$1,806	65 months and 2 days
47	Riverside, CA	$3,069	$2,060	64 months and 28 days
48	Anchorage, AK	$3,889	$2,563	63 months and 27 days
49	Hialeah, FL	$2,231	$1,467	63 months and 23 days
50	Columbia, SC	$2,931	$1,888	62 months and 18 days
51	Moreno Valley, CA	$2,777	$1,787	62 months and 16 days
52	Henderson, NV	$3,722	$2,387	62 months and 10 days
53	Ontario, CA	$2,886	$1,850	62 months and 9 days
54	Rapid City, SD	$2,809	$1,800	62 months and 9 days
55	Las Cruces, NM	$2,803	$1,789	62 months and 1 day
56	Charleston, SC	$3,595	$2,288	61 months and 28 days
57	Glendale, AZ	$2,793	$1,769	61 months and 20 days
58	Houston, TX	$2,942	$1,861	61 months and 17 days
59	Santa Ana, CA	$2,480	$1,557	61 months and 5 days
60	Garland, TX	$2,555	$1,604	61 months and 5 days
61	St. Louis, MO	$3,033	$1,890	60 months and 24 days
62	Richmond, VA	$3,069	$1,911	60 months and 22 days
63	Colorado Springs, CO	$3,216	$2,000	60 months and 20 days
64	Phoenix, AZ	$2,950	$1,829	60 months and 15 days
65	Scottsdale, AZ	$4,627	$2,865	60 months and 13 days
66	Orlando, FL	$2,854	$1,744	59 months and 22 days
67	Charlotte, NC	$3,247	$1,967	59 months and 8 days
68	Amarillo, TX	$2,716	$1,628	58 months and 21 days
69	Winston-Salem, NC	$2,604	$1,559	58 months and 19 days
70	Los Angeles, CA	$3,186	$1,901	58 months and 14 days
71	Montgomery, AL	$2,562	$1,528	58 months and 13 days
72	Arlington, TX	$2,778	$1,653	58 months and 9 days
73	Spokane, WA	$2,997	$1,782	58 months and 9 days
74	Santa Clarita, CA	$4,379	$2,597	58 months and 4 days
75	Long Beach, CA	$3,209	$1,900	58 months and 2 days
76	Chattanooga, TN	$2,662	$1,577	58 months and 2 days
77	Cincinnati, OH	$2,946	$1,735	57 months and 24 days
78	Peoria, AZ	$3,454	$2,033	57 months and 23 days
79	Mesa, AZ	$2,933	$1,714	57 months and 11 days
80	Atlanta, GA	$4,158	$2,423	57 months and 7 days
81	Juneau, AK	$3,542	$2,061	57 months and 5 days
82	Fresno, CA	$2,742	$1,591	57 months
83	Rochester, NY	$2,555	$1,475	56 months and 23 days
84	Bakersfield, CA	$2,942	$1,688	56 months and 14 days
85	Wichita, KS	$2,619	$1,503	56 months and 14 days
86	Grand Prairie, TX	$2,869	$1,646	56 months and 13 days
87	Newport News, VA	$2,746	$1,558	55 months and 27 days
88	Aurora, CO	$3,029	$1,715	55 months and 25 days
89	Wilmington, DE	$2,986	$1,685	55 months and 18 days
90	Austin, TX	$3,697	$2,085	55 months and 18 days
91	Raleigh, NC	$3,302	$1,859	55 months and 15 days
92	Fort Smith, AR	$2,263	$1,264	55 months and 3 days
93	Tampa, FL	$3,106	$1,729	54 months and 29 days
94	Kansas City, MO	$2,889	$1,603	54 months and 24 days
95	Oceanside, CA	$3,205	$1,777	54 months and 23 days
96	Akron, OH	$2,426	$1,341	54 months and 18 days
97	Stockton, CA	$2,740	$1,512	54 months and 16 days
98	Albuquerque, NM	$2,842	$1,565	54 months and 12 days
99	Huntington, WV	$2,374	$1,295	53 months and 29 days
100	Fort Worth, TX	$2,888	$1,566	53 months and 20 days
101	Detroit, MI	$2,255	$1,216	53 months and 12 days
102	Anaheim, CA	$2,738	$1,474	53 months and 9 days
103	Vancouver, WA	$2,978	$1,601	53 months and 8 days
104	Billings, MT	$2,858	$1,520	52 months and 23 days
105	Dover, DE	$2,425	$1,272	52 months and 2 days
106	Sioux Falls, SD	$2,763	$1,444	51 months and 29 days
107	Casper, WY	$2,890	$1,503	51 months and 21 days
108	Lexington-Fayette, KY	$2,820	$1,465	51 months and 19 days
109	Cheyenne, WY	$2,850	$1,477	51 months and 16 days
110	Oklahoma City, OK	$2,530	$1,299	51 months and 1 day
111	Denver, CO	$3,602	$1,840	50 months and 26 days
112	Cleveland, OH	$2,288	$1,168	50 months and 25 days
113	Gilbert, AZ	$3,869	$1,975	50 months and 25 days
114	Providence, RI	$2,614	$1,325	50 months and 15 days
115	Pearl City, HI	$3,083	$1,534	49 months and 20 days
116	Salem, OR	$2,750	$1,367	49 months and 18 days
117	Salt Lake City, UT	$2,882	$1,432	49 months and 18 days
118	Fort Wayne, IN	$2,385	$1,185	49 months and 18 days
119	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	$3,561	$1,756	49 months and 7 days
120	Honolulu, HI	$2,967	$1,463	49 months and 7 days
121	Chandler, AZ	$3,419	$1,675	48 months and 30 days
122	Huntsville, AL	$2,851	$1,390	48 months and 22 days
123	Newark, NJ	$2,122	$1,029	48 months and 14 days
124	Tacoma, WA	$3,091	$1,490	48 months and 7 days
125	Tempe, AZ	$2,657	$1,271	47 months and 27 days
126	Charleston, WV	$2,656	$1,269	47 months and 27 days
127	Boise, ID	$2,846	$1,357	47 months and 23 days
128	Baltimore, MD	$2,832	$1,340	47 months and 12 days
129	Buffalo, NY	$2,381	$1,126	47 months and 12 days
130	Durham, NC	$2,990	$1,412	47 months and 10 days
131	Santa Rosa, CA	$3,148	$1,485	47 months and 8 days
132	Toledo, OH	$2,180	$1,024	47 months and 3 days
133	Pittsburgh, PA	$2,816	$1,318	46 months and 30 days
134	Portland, ME	$2,847	$1,332	46 months and 29 days
135	Indianapolis, IN	$2,462	$1,151	46 months and 28 days
136	Milwaukee, WI	$2,285	$1,056	46 months and 12 days
137	Louisville, KY	$2,496	$1,145	46 months and 3 days
138	Columbus, OH	$2,543	$1,153	45 months and 19 days
139	Bridgeport, CT	$2,320	$1,050	45 months and 16 days
140	Omaha, NE	$2,663	$1,204	45 months and 15 days
141	Manchester, NH	$2,625	$1,182	45 months and 10 days
142	Modesto, CA	$2,717	$1,223	45 months and 9 days
143	Des Moines, IA	$2,360	$1,051	44 months and 27 days
144	Fargo, ND	$2,450	$1,089	44 months and 24 days
145	Overland Park, KS	$3,467	$1,537	44 months and 21 days
146	Rutland, VT	$2,255	$996	44 months and 16 days
147	Glendale, CA	$3,117	$1,375	44 months and 15 days
148	Bismarck, ND	$2,772	$1,219	44 months and 11 days
149	St. Paul, MN	$2,708	$1,189	44 months and 9 days
150	Lincoln, NE	$2,431	$1,068	44 months and 9 days
151	West Valley City, UT	$2,178	$952	44 months and 3 days
152	Plano, TX	$3,483	$1,511	43 months and 24 days
153	Grand Rapids, MI	$2,408	$1,041	43 months and 20 days
154	Portland, OR	$3,229	$1,395	43 months and 19 days
155	Chicago, IL	$2,979	$1,282	43 months and 15 days
156	Sacramento, CA	$2,763	$1,187	43 months and 12 days
157	Aurora, IL	$2,541	$1,085	43 months and 5 days
158	San Diego, CA	$3,315	$1,406	42 months and 28 days
159	Warwick, RI	$2,925	$1,223	42 months and 10 days
160	Philadelphia, PA	$2,546	$1,050	41 months and 25 days
161	Irving, TX	$2,456	$994	41 months and 2 days
162	Oakland, CA	$3,306	$1,321	40 months and 18 days
163	Yonkers, NY	$2,934	$1,158	40 months and 3 days
164	Lewiston, ME	$2,058	$804	39 months and 23 days
165	Garden Grove, CA	$2,216	$858	39 months and 12 days
166	Boston, MA	$3,314	$1,277	39 months and 7 days
167	Huntington Beach, CA	$3,622	$1,394	39 months and 6 days
168	Burlington, VT	$2,541	$941	37 months and 26 days
169	Minneapolis, MN	$2,837	$1,047	37 months and 21 days
170	New Haven, CT	$2,199	$793	36 months and 29 days
171	Nashua, NH	$2,741	$989	36 months and 28 days
172	Cedar Rapids, IA	$2,153	$768	36 months and 16 days
173	Worcester, MA	$2,272	$803	36 months and 5 days
174	Washington, DC	$3,911	$1,370	35 months and 28 days
175	Columbia, MD	$3,382	$1,099	33 months and 13 days
176	Madison, WI	$2,214	$653	30 months and 15 days
177	Seattle, WA	$3,466	$1,005	30 months
178	Irvine, CA	$3,235	$825	26 months and 16 days
179	Jersey City, NJ	$2,535	$646	26 months and 15 days
180	San Jose, CA	$2,714	$688	26 months and 11 days
181	San Francisco, CA	$3,179	$719	23 months and 19 days
182	Fremont, CA	$2,579	$431	17 months and 15 days

Note: *No. 1 = Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt

In-Depth Look at the Cities With the Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt

Gulfport, MS

Gulfport, MS, has the least sustainable credit card debts, with a median balance of $2,997 and a payoff timeline over 105 months (nearly 9 years). Gulfport residents take a long time to pay off their credit card debts in part because their median earnings are very low, at just $42,689 per year. That’s the sixth-lowest among the 182 cities in our study.

Due to low incomes and the pressures of the current economy, Gulfport residents make very small monthly credit card payments, averaging just $62. To put this in perspective, only four cities have a lower average. As a result, the average Gulfport resident will end up paying $3,532 in interest on their credit card debt before it's fully paid off.

North Las Vegas, NV

North Las Vegas, NV, has the second-least sustainable credit card debt among 182 of the largest U.S. cities, as it will take residents with debt an average of nearly 100 months (8.3 years) to pay off what they owe. Some of the major reasons behind North Las Vegas’ long credit card payoff timeline includes the city’s high median credit card debt ($3,271) and relatively low median earnings for workers ($47,405). Residents will end up paying an average of $3,618 in interest by the time they get debt-free, according to WalletHub calculations.

In addition, North Las Vegas residents rank toward the bottom of the country for their money-management skills and only rank 162nd out of 182 cities’ residents for budgeting skills. The average credit score in the city is 669, according to October 2025 TransUnion data, which is right in the middle of the fair credit range.

Tallahassee, FL

Residents of Tallahassee, FL, have the third-least sustainable credit card debt, because it would take an average of nearly 95 months (nearly 8 years) to pay off the typical balance. The median credit card debt is $3,252, and the cost of the interest over the course of 8 years is even more than the original balance – at $3,380.

Tallahassee is one of the many cities where people have more than 3 credit cards, on average. Having multiple credit cards in your wallet can be good for your credit score if you use them wisely, but they can also enable spending beyond your means, which leads to credit score damage. In addition, Tallahassee residents may have trouble keeping up with their debt because they have the 31st-lowest median earnings in the country, at $47,612 per year.

Ask the Experts

With credit-card debt levels remaining high in 2025, we asked a panel of experts to shed light on the unsustainable credit behavior that leads to such negative results and their effects on the economy. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:

What daily behaviors lead people to amass credit-card debt?
What is the biggest mistake people make when managing credit-card debt?
How does the growth of credit-card debt affect the economy?
How will actions taken by the Federal Reserve affect credit card debt in 2026?
What are the most effective ways to avoid increasing one’s debt load in the context of inflation?
What role, if any, should the government play in incentivizing and encouraging people to maintain low debt-to-income ratios (e.g., through tax incentives, etc.)?

Ask the Experts

Joanne Guo
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Business Administration and Marketing – St. Joseph’s University, New York
Read More

Connie Harris Ostwald
Ph.D., Lead Faculty Economics – Colorado Christian University
Read More

Anthony J. Greco
Ph.D., Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration – University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Read More

Louis D. Johnston
Professor, Department of Economics – College of Saint Benedict | Saint John’s University
Read More

Marla A. Sole
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Mathematics – Guttman Community College
Read More

Tahereh Alavi Hojjat
Ph.D. – Chair & Professor of Economics, Division of Business – DeSales University
Read More

Methodology

In order to determine the cities with the least and most sustainable credit card debts, we first looked at the median credit-card balances of residents in each of 182 U.S. cities as of October 2025, based on TransUnion data. Our analysis includes credit cards that carried a balance and excludes store cards. For our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Using WalletHub’s credit card payoff calculator and the median credit-card balance and income of residents in each city, we determined the required number of months to pay off that balance and the resulting finance charges. In order to do so, we made the following two assumptions:

Individuals earning the national median income would be able to pay 3 percent of the national median credit card debt. We then took the ratio between that resulting monthly payment and the national median income and applied it to each city’s specific income.
Note: The median income for each city is based on the 2023 earnings of individuals aged 16 and older who worked full-time year-round, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The figure excludes income from sources other than work.
Consumers would pay an average 22.83 percent interest rate, based on the APR paid by existing cardholders, according to the average interest rate assessed on accounts with finance charges. Using that percentage, we computed the cost of paying off the city’s median credit-card balance.

Finally, we ranked the cities based on the calculator’s outputs. A rank of 1 corresponds with the city with the least sustainable credit-card debt — that is, the city with the longest payoff timeline.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Reserve and TransUnion.

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