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.
Main Findings
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
Finance, Economics, and Personal Finance Instructor – Nebraska Wesleyan University
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance – Lubbock Christian University
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Professor of Business and Economics – The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
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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
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Economics & Finance, Department of Accounting, Business, Economics & Finance; Director, Muhlenberg Scholars Honors Program – Muhlenberg College
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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.