Cities with the Least Sustainable Credit Card Debt

Adam McCann, Financial WriterDec 8, 2021

cities with the highest lowest credit card debts

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Dec 8, 2021

Americans started 2021 with more than $900 billion in outstanding credit card balances. That’s a truly staggering amount of debt, and it’s still growing. WalletHub projects we’ll end the year with a net addition of $100 billion in credit-card debt, a lot more than the 10-year average of $45.6 billion per year.

Some people are in a better position than others when it comes to credit-card debt. In order to determine where Americans have accumulated the most and least sustainable credit-card debts, WalletHub drew upon TransUnion credit data to calculate the cost and time required to pay off the median card balances of more than 180 U.S. cities.

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	Miami, FL	$2,247	$1,607	89 months and 19 days
2	Hialeah, FL	$1,911	$1,259	83 months and 12 days
3	Knoxville, TN	$2,298	$1,431	79 months and 10 days
4	Gulfport, MS	$2,018	$1,160	73 months and 28 days
5	Missoula, MT	$2,242	$1,277	73 months and 9 days
6	Dallas, TX	$2,458	$1,382	72 months and 14 days
7	San Antonio, TX	$2,298	$1,271	71 months and 11 days
8	El Paso, TX	$2,146	$1,172	70 months and 18 days
9	Tucson, AZ	$2,119	$1,131	69 months and 5 days
10	Reno, NV	$2,520	$1,340	68 months and 28 days
11	Cape Coral, FL	$2,363	$1,235	67 months and 27 days
12	Juneau, AK	$3,342	$1,746	67 months and 26 days
13	Chesapeake, VA	$2,919	$1,506	67 months and 1 day
14	New Orleans, LA	$2,513	$1,289	66 months and 21 days
15	Norfolk, VA	$2,332	$1,191	66 months and 14 days
16	Virginia Beach, VA	$2,806	$1,425	66 months and 3 days
17	Springfield, MO	$1,918	$964	65 months and 15 days
18	Nashville, TN	$2,480	$1,243	65 months and 9 days
19	Austin, TX	$2,848	$1,406	64 months and 14 days
20	Las Cruces, NM	$1,973	$964	63 months and 26 days
21	Tallahassee, FL	$2,185	$1,065	63 months and 22 days
22	Santa Ana, CA	$1,796	$872	63 months and 16 days
23	Lubbock, TX	$2,221	$1,078	63 months and 13 days
24	New York, NY	$2,942	$1,423	63 months and 8 days
25	Charleston, SC	$2,751	$1,314	62 months and 16 days
26	Anchorage, AK	$3,088	$1,473	62 months and 15 days
27	Birmingham, AL	$2,022	$958	62 months and 3 days
28	Corpus Christi, TX	$2,224	$1,047	61 months and 22 days
29	Pembroke Pines, FL	$2,596	$1,217	61 months and 15 days
30	Colorado Springs, CO	$2,500	$1,163	61 months and 1 day
31	Spokane, WA	$2,249	$1,045	61 months
32	St. Petersburg, FL	$2,370	$1,097	60 months and 25 days
33	Jacksonville, FL	$2,243	$1,037	60 months and 23 days
34	Port St. Lucie, FL	$2,112	$972	60 months and 14 days
35	Fayetteville, NC	$1,945	$894	60 months and 12 days
36	Tulsa, OK	$2,145	$981	60 months and 4 days
37	Brownsville, TX	$1,606	$732	59 months and 29 days
38	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$2,511	$1,144	59 months and 28 days
39	Amarillo, TX	$2,139	$973	59 months and 26 days
40	Little Rock, AR	$2,262	$1,028	59 months and 25 days
41	Rapid City, SD	$2,105	$933	58 months and 13 days
42	Augusta, GA	$1,847	$807	57 months and 21 days
43	Houston, TX	$2,160	$939	57 months and 12 days
44	Laredo, TX	$1,742	$744	56 months and 15 days
45	Oceanside, CA	$2,414	$1,031	56 months and 14 days
46	Aurora, CO	$2,216	$946	56 months and 14 days
47	Shreveport, LA	$1,933	$822	56 months and 6 days
48	Ontario, CA	$1,965	$829	55 months and 26 days
49	Huntington, WV	$1,846	$778	55 months and 25 days
50	Sioux Falls, SD	$2,159	$910	55 months and 24 days
51	Salt Lake City, UT	$2,263	$945	55 months and 9 days
52	Henderson, NV	$2,653	$1,107	55 months and 9 days
53	North Las Vegas, NV	$1,950	$814	55 months and 8 days
54	Nampa, ID	$1,747	$723	54 months and 27 days
55	Chattanooga, TN	$2,012	$829	54 months and 19 days
56	Denver, CO	$2,668	$1,098	54 months and 17 days
57	Scottsdale, AZ	$3,441	$1,416	54 months and 17 days
58	Fort Smith, AR	$1,739	$715	54 months and 16 days
59	Montgomery, AL	$1,968	$807	54 months and 13 days
60	Los Angeles, CA	$2,153	$878	54 months and 4 days
61	Las Vegas, NV	$2,075	$845	54 months and 2 days
62	Chula Vista, CA	$2,530	$1,026	53 months and 27 days
63	Raleigh, NC	$2,413	$977	53 months and 24 days
64	Casper, WY	$2,331	$941	53 months and 20 days
65	Atlanta, GA	$2,823	$1,137	53 months and 16 days
66	Cheyenne, WY	$2,355	$942	53 months and 5 days
67	Richmond, VA	$2,126	$850	53 months and 4 days
68	Winston-Salem, NC	$1,931	$768	52 months and 28 days
69	Orlando, FL	$1,966	$781	52 months and 25 days
70	Greensboro, NC	$1,965	$779	52 months and 23 days
71	Columbia, SC	$2,077	$823	52 months and 22 days
72	Charlotte, NC	$2,336	$923	52 months and 17 days
73	Fort Worth, TX	$2,221	$876	52 months and 14 days
74	Tampa, FL	$2,218	$873	52 months and 12 days
75	Peoria, AZ	$2,442	$960	52 months and 10 days
76	Phoenix, AZ	$2,022	$791	52 months and 3 days
77	St. Louis, MO	$2,129	$829	51 months and 27 days
78	Boise, ID	$2,237	$869	51 months and 23 days
79	Mobile, AL	$1,900	$737	51 months and 22 days
80	Columbus, GA	$1,899	$736	51 months and 20 days
81	Wichita, KS	$2,040	$786	51 months and 12 days
82	Fargo, ND	$2,114	$815	51 months and 12 days
83	Billings, MT	$2,111	$812	51 months and 9 days
84	Kansas City, MO	$2,147	$825	51 months and 7 days
85	Wilmington, DE	$2,181	$836	51 months and 4 days
86	Mesa, AZ	$2,029	$775	50 months and 30 days
87	Salem, OR	$1,954	$746	50 months and 29 days
88	Oxnard, CA	$1,838	$699	50 months and 22 days
89	Memphis, TN	$1,758	$665	50 months and 14 days
90	Grand Prairie, TX	$2,014	$761	50 months and 14 days
91	Glendale, AZ	$1,903	$719	50 months and 13 days
92	Baton Rouge, LA	$1,966	$737	50 months and 2 days
93	Oklahoma City, OK	$2,002	$750	50 months and 1 day
94	Grand Rapids, MI	$1,850	$689	49 months and 24 days
95	Vancouver, WA	$2,212	$823	49 months and 23 days
96	Santa Rosa, CA	$2,320	$863	49 months and 22 days
97	Aurora, IL	$2,064	$767	49 months and 20 days
98	Gilbert, AZ	$2,821	$1,046	49 months and 18 days
99	Rochester, NY	$1,880	$697	49 months and 17 days
100	Moreno Valley, CA	$1,842	$681	49 months and 14 days
101	Arlington, TX	$2,018	$744	49 months and 10 days
102	Riverside, CA	$1,978	$728	49 months and 6 days
103	Albuquerque, NM	$2,011	$738	49 months and 3 days
104	Long Beach, CA	$2,186	$799	48 months and 28 days
105	Jackson, MS	$1,569	$570	48 months and 18 days
106	Garland, TX	$1,773	$638	48 months and 7 days
107	Cincinnati, OH	$2,021	$727	48 months and 6 days
108	Fort Wayne, IN	$1,843	$663	48 months and 5 days
109	San Bernardino, CA	$1,583	$563	47 months and 21 days
110	Durham, NC	$2,180	$774	47 months and 19 days
111	Irving, TX	$1,933	$687	47 months and 19 days
112	Santa Clarita, CA	$3,020	$1,071	47 months and 17 days
113	Overland Park, KS	$2,844	$1,008	47 months and 17 days
114	Akron, OH	$1,678	$591	47 months and 8 days
115	Anaheim, CA	$1,918	$674	47 months and 4 days
116	Bismarck, ND	$2,265	$794	47 months and 2 days
117	Omaha, NE	$2,089	$732	47 months
118	Honolulu, HI	$2,152	$750	46 months and 24 days
119	Lincoln, NE	$1,974	$686	46 months and 20 days
120	Fontana, CA	$1,932	$668	46 months and 13 days
121	West Valley City, UT	$1,654	$571	46 months and 10 days
122	Chandler, AZ	$2,515	$867	46 months and 10 days
123	Dover, DE	$1,818	$623	46 months and 2 days
124	Portland, OR	$2,363	$807	45 months and 29 days
125	Tacoma, WA	$2,191	$748	45 months and 28 days
126	Fresno, CA	$1,810	$616	45 months and 23 days
127	Burlington, VT	$1,908	$647	45 months and 19 days
128	Rutland, VT	$1,769	$599	45 months and 16 days
129	Newport News, VA	$1,831	$617	45 months and 10 days
130	Lexington-Fayette, KY	$1,998	$672	45 months and 8 days
131	Portland, ME	$2,133	$717	45 months and 7 days
132	Plano, TX	$2,739	$919	45 months and 5 days
133	San Diego, CA	$2,433	$816	45 months and 4 days
134	Louisville, KY	$1,924	$644	45 months and 1 day
135	St. Paul, MN	$1,990	$664	44 months and 30 days
136	Indianapolis, IN	$1,818	$606	44 months and 27 days
137	Toledo, OH	$1,683	$560	44 months and 26 days
138	Pearl City, HI	$2,282	$757	44 months and 21 days
139	Huntsville, AL	$2,070	$682	44 months and 12 days
140	Tempe, AZ	$1,902	$626	44 months and 11 days
141	Stockton, CA	$1,765	$579	44 months and 7 days
142	Buffalo, NY	$1,732	$568	44 months and 7 days
143	Cleveland, OH	$1,598	$524	44 months and 7 days
144	Pittsburgh, PA	$2,057	$670	43 months and 30 days
145	Charleston, WV	$1,888	$614	43 months and 27 days
146	Manchester, NH	$1,921	$610	42 months and 27 days
147	Baltimore, MD	$2,020	$628	42 months and 1 day
148	Providence, RI	$1,731	$538	42 months and 1 day
149	Glendale, CA	$2,337	$724	41 months and 28 days
150	Chicago, IL	$2,144	$664	41 months and 28 days
151	Boston, MA	$2,486	$766	41 months and 21 days
152	Columbus, OH	$1,816	$559	41 months and 20 days
153	Bakersfield, CA	$1,896	$578	41 months and 7 days
154	Modesto, CA	$1,976	$595	40 months and 25 days
155	Huntington Beach, CA	$2,751	$825	40 months and 19 days
156	Milwaukee, WI	$1,617	$481	40 months and 11 days
157	Des Moines, IA	$1,671	$494	40 months and 3 days
158	Cedar Rapids, IA	$1,831	$531	39 months and 11 days
159	Nashua, NH	$2,104	$610	39 months and 10 days
160	Minneapolis, MN	$2,059	$590	38 months and 29 days
161	Warwick, RI	$2,149	$616	38 months and 29 days
162	Detroit, MI	$1,330	$380	38 months and 27 days
163	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	$2,326	$665	38 months and 26 days
164	Lewiston, ME	$1,473	$418	38 months and 18 days
165	Bridgeport, CT	$1,591	$451	38 months and 16 days
166	Newark, NJ	$1,408	$398	38 months and 13 days
167	Sacramento, CA	$1,897	$528	37 months and 27 days
168	Garden Grove, CA	$1,592	$440	37 months and 19 days
169	Washington, DC	$2,788	$766	37 months and 12 days
170	Oakland, CA	$2,204	$596	36 months and 26 days
171	Worcester, MA	$1,735	$467	36 months and 21 days
172	Yonkers, NY	$2,008	$535	36 months and 10 days
173	Philadelphia, PA	$1,659	$441	36 months and 6 days
174	Seattle, WA	$2,657	$685	35 months and 5 days
175	New Haven, CT	$1,577	$383	33 months and 7 days
176	Columbia, MD	$2,525	$608	32 months and 30 days
177	Madison, WI	$1,727	$408	32 months and 11 days
178	San Jose, CA	$2,095	$445	29 months and 6 days
179	Jersey City, NJ	$1,794	$354	27 months and 6 days
180	Irvine, CA	$2,407	$455	26 months and 1 day
181	San Francisco, CA	$2,315	$426	25 months and 12 days
182	Fremont, CA	$1,954	$277	19 months and 17 days

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

Ask the Experts

With credit-card debt levels remaining high in 2021 but decreasing, we asked a panel of credit 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?
What are the most effective ways to avoid increasing one's debt load as the pandemic progresses?
What role, if any, should government play in incentivizing and encouraging people to maintain low debt-to-income ratios (e.g., through tax incentives)?

Ask the Experts

Todd Chipman
Finance, Economics, and Personal Finance Instructor – Nebraska Wesleyan University
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Brian Starr
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance – Lubbock Christian University
Read More

Andrew Ching
Professor of Business and Economics – The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
Read More

Samique March-Dallas
Ph.D. – Associate Professor|CFO Faculty Advisor|Research Cafe Coordinator| Bloomberg Finance Lab Director; Department of Accounting and Finance| School of Business and Industry – Florida A&M University
Read More

Kent S. Belasco

Read More

Ranajoy Ray-Chaudhuri
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Economics & Finance, Department of Accounting, Business, Economics & Finance; Director, Muhlenberg Scholars Honors Program – Muhlenberg College
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 September 2021, 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 2019 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 17.13 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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