U.S. credit card debt is up to $1.35 trillion overall, based on the latest data from November. This total is roughly $122 billion below the record from 2008, when you adjust for inflation, and it's essentially unchanged year over year.
You can find more credit card debt statistics and insight into the financial health of U.S. consumers below. Unless stated otherwise, all numbers are adjusted for inflation.
Preliminary November Data
If you don’t adjust for inflation, credit card debt as of November 2025 was at a new record high for the month – topping last November by 3%.
After adjusting for inflation, total credit card debt in November 2025 was 8% below the all-time record for the month and essentially unchanged year over year.
Q3 Main Findings
Consumers added roughly $15 billion in credit card debt during Q3 2025. That is 31% less than we added in Q3 2024, after adjusting for inflation.
In Q3 2025, outstanding credit card debt was roughly 1% below the all-time record, without adjusting for inflation.
Total Outstanding Credit Card Debt - NOT Adjusted for Inflation
When adjusting for inflation, outstanding credit card debt as of Q3 2025 was 13% below the all-time record.
Total Outstanding Credit Card Debt - Adjusted for Inflation
The increase in credit card debt during Q3 2025 was roughly 28% smaller than the post-Great Recession average for the third quarter of a year.
Since the end of the Great Recession, consumer performance has regressed on a year-over-year basis in more than 5 of every 10 quarters.
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Legend: = regress, = improvement
Finance Charges
Credit card finance charges increased by 2.74% during Q3 2025, compared to the previous quarter, totaling roughly $176 billion.
Charge-Off Rates
The credit card charge-off rate decreased by 9.05% during Q3 2025, compared to the previous quarter, finishing at 3.92%.
Household Credit Card Debt
| Stat | November 2025 (Preliminary) | Q3 2025 | Q3 2024 | YOY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Credit Card Debt per Household | $11,227 | $10,990 | $11,046 | -0.5% |
| Total Credit Card Debt (in billions) | $1,354 | $1,325 | $1,327 | -0.2% |
| Net Change From Last Quarter (in billions) | N/A | $15 | $21 | -31.0% |
The average household credit card balance was $11,227 at the end of November 2025, after adjusting for inflation. That’s $1,830 below the record set in Q4 2007.
Average Household Credit Card Balance - Adjusted for Inflation
The average household credit card balance was $11,227 at the end of November 2025, without adjusting for inflation.
Average Household Credit Card Balance - NOT Adjusted for Inflation
Credit Card Debt vs. Deposits
The ratio between total credit card debt and deposits was 7.3% in November 2025 – 60% below the peak registered in Q4 2000. The lower this ratio is, the better.
Credit Card Debt vs. Assets
The ratio between total credit card debt and assets was 0.67% in Q3 2025 – 52% below the peak registered in Q4 2002. The lower this ratio is, the better.
Tips For Managing Credit Card Debt
- Make a Budget & Stick to It
It’s difficult to spend within reason or plan savings if you don’t know how your monthly spending compares to your take-home pay, or where that money is going. That is why you should rank-order your expenses – including debt payments, emergency fund contributions, and other savings – and trim the fat, if necessary.Most importantly, once you develop your budget, make sure to stick to it or else you’ll have simply wasted your time. Using a budgeting app like WalletHub can make the whole process much easier to manage. - Build an Emergency Fund
With a safety net of cash to fall back on, you won’t be as likely to fall behind on your bills in the event of emergency expenses or unplanned joblessness. Your goal should be to gradually save about a year’s worth of after-tax income. In other words, set aside a little bit every month until you’ve got a nice cushion. - Improve Your Credit
This might sound a bit counterintuitive, seeing as more credit could mean more debt. But improving your credit standing will have a dramatic impact on the cost of your debt. And reducing the cost of your debt will allow you to pay it off faster. Better credit can also make it easier to find a job or a place to live, both of which impact your bottom line. You can check your latest credit score for free and get personalized credit-improvement tips on WalletHub. - Reevaluate Your Job Situation
In some cases, all the budgeting and planning in the world won’t be enough to solve your debt problems. You may need to explore whether higher-paying opportunities exist for people with your background or consider acquiring some new skills to make yourself more marketable. This may require a bit of an investment in yourself, but as long as you get a worthwhile return, it’s money well spent. - Repay Your Most Expensive Debt First
Most people with serious credit card debt have multiple balances. If that’s the case for you, try the “avalanche method.” That means putting the majority of your monthly debt payment toward the balance with the highest interest rate and making the minimum payment required on the rest. Once your most expensive debt is paid off, repeat the process until you’re debt-free. - Try the Island Approach
The Island Approach is a strategy that involves using a collection of credit cards, with each serving a specific purpose. For example, you could transfer your existing debt to a 0% balance transfer credit card to save on finance charges and get out of debt sooner. And you could use a rewards card or two – perhaps one with travel rewards and one with cash back, or maybe a store credit card – for purchases that you’ll be able to pay off by the end of the month. This will enable you to get the best possible collection of terms. It will also tell you when you’re overspending. Finance charges on your everyday spending cards will signal a need to cut back.
Methodology
WalletHub’s quarterly credit card debt studies are based on analysis of the latest data on consumers’ finances available from the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Quarterly changes in credit card debt levels include both the total amount outstanding (revolving credit, not seasonally adjusted) and charged-off debt (not seasonally adjusted) that is no longer on credit card companies’ books but consumers continue to owe. Preliminary, outstanding and household debt amounts, as well as finance charges, are adjusted for inflation with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Please note that starting in December 2024, the Federal Reserve changed how it categorizes certain data. To ensure data consistency, we’ve adjusted the data accordingly.
Raw Data
Net Result of Consumer Credit Card Debt Q1 2008 – Q3 2025
| Info | Net Result in Debt Load | Relative to Same Period Last Year | Relative to Same Period Two Years Ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | $14,731,174,060 | -31% | -52% |
| 2025 Q2 | $27,517,201,939 | -22% | -38% |
| 2025 Q1 | -$33,913,694,961 | -32% | -29% |
| 2024 | $53,930,641,635 | -52% | -56% |
| 2024 Q4 | $47,352,653,570 | -45% | -49% |
| 2024 Q3 | $21,318,282,945 | -31% | -48% |
| 2024 Q2 | $35,468,738,020 | -21% | -9% |
| 2024 Q1 | -$50,209,032,899 | 5% | -1% |
| 2023 | $113,215,628,063 | -7% | 210% |
| 2023 Q4 | $85,568,571,265 | -8% | 32% |
| 2023 Q3 | $30,766,843,618 | -25% | 84% |
| 2023 Q2 | $44,636,994,131 | 14% | 5% |
| 2023 Q1 | -$47,756,780,952 | -6% | -46% |
| 2022 | $122,211,643,026 | 235% | -202% |
| 2022 Q4 | $92,955,453,286 | 43% | 110% |
| 2022 Q3 | $41,013,973,335 | 145% | -429% |
| 2022 Q2 | $39,084,356,918 | -8% | -154% |
| 2022 Q1 | -$50,842,140,512 | -42% | -36% |
| 2021 | $36,494,923,317 | -130% | -44% |
| 2021 Q4 | $65,041,433,654 | 47% | -8% |
| 2021 Q3 | $16,743,773,089 | -234% | -33% |
| 2021 Q2 | $42,482,082,956 | -159% | 24% |
| 2021 Q1 | -$87,772,366,381 | 10% | 37% |
| 2020 | -$120,013,684,706 | -284% | -275% |
| 2020 Q4 | $44,368,220,539 | -37% | -46% |
| 2020 Q3 | -$12,451,315,024 | -150% | -137% |
| 2020 Q2 | -$72,085,313,126 | -311% | -580% |
| 2020 Q1 | -$79,845,277,094 | 24% | 29% |
| 2019 | $65,230,090,778 | -5% | -28% |
| 2019 Q4 | $70,473,265,338 | -14% | -22% |
| 2019 Q3 | $24,814,459,913 | -26% | 26% |
| 2019 Q2 | $34,199,529,204 | 128% | -9% |
| 2019 Q1 | -$64,257,163,676 | 4% | 14% |
| 2018 | $68,428,501,155 | -25% | -28% |
| 2018 Q4 | $81,744,844,459 | -10% | 3% |
| 2018 Q3 | $33,514,252,053 | 70% | 22% |
| 2018 Q2 | $15,007,868,462 | -60% | -54% |
| 2018 Q1 | -$61,838,463,820 | 9% | 39% |
| 2017 | $91,101,548,464 | -4% | 129% |
| 2017 Q4 | $90,401,125,664 | 14% | 123% |
| 2017 Q3 | $19,744,737,430 | -28% | -42% |
| 2017 Q2 | $37,489,159,771 | 16% | 15% |
| 2017 Q1 | -$56,533,474,400 | 27% | -16% |
| 2016 | $94,814,039,088 | 138% | 32% |
| 2016 Q4 | $79,400,877,298 | 96% | 0% |
| 2016 Q3 | $27,549,336,158 | -19% | 16% |
| 2016 Q2 | $32,401,701,862 | 0% | 11% |
| 2016 Q1 | -$44,537,876,231 | -34% | -26% |
| 2015 | $39,768,791,418 | -45% | -3% |
| 2015 Q4 | $40,598,965,842 | -49% | -37% |
| 2015 Q3 | $34,138,531,110 | 44% | 166% |
| 2015 Q2 | $32,495,899,627 | 11% | 32% |
| 2015 Q1 | -$67,464,605,161 | 12% | 10% |
| 2014 | $72,031,100,269 | 76% | 198% |
| 2014 Q4 | $79,428,111,412 | 23% | 24% |
| 2014 Q3 | $23,763,362,409 | 85% | 171% |
| 2014 Q2 | $29,294,289,630 | 19% | 50% |
| 2014 Q1 | -$60,454,663,182 | -1% | -11% |
| 2013 | $40,953,829,768 | 69% | 32% |
| 2013 Q4 | $64,477,328,560 | 1% | -6% |
| 2013 Q3 | $12,838,068,156 | 46% | -24% |
| 2013 Q2 | $24,705,385,884 | 27% | 52% |
| 2013 Q1 | -$61,066,952,832 | -10% | -14% |
| 2012 | $24,207,379,322 | -22% | -252% |
| 2012 Q4 | $64,093,707,818 | -7% | 88% |
| 2012 Q3 | $8,767,245,801 | -48% | 61% |
| 2012 Q2 | $19,502,088,097 | 20% | 57% |
| 2012 Q1 | -$68,155,662,394 | -4% | 1% |
| 2011 | $31,053,021,692 | -295% | 176% |
| 2011 Q4 | $68,847,455,734 | 102% | 103% |
| 2011 Q3 | $16,970,704,241 | 211% | 4% |
| 2011 Q2 | $16,248,980,201 | 31% | -417% |
| 2011 Q1 | -$71,014,118,483 | 5% | -17% |
| 2010 | -$15,888,015,290 | 61% | -119% |
| 2010 Q4 | $34,046,033,728 | 1% | -70% |
| 2010 Q3 | $5,460,505,719 | -66% | -73% |
| 2010 Q2 | $12,401,397,551 | -342% | 9117% |
| 2010 Q1 | -$67,795,952,288 | -21% | 33% |
| 2009 | -$41,041,683,625 | 149% | 135% |
| 2009 Q4 | $33,867,819,224 | -70% | -62% |
| 2009 Q3 | $16,244,368,342 | -21% | -72% |
| 2009 Q2 | -$5,125,490,205 | -3909% | -117% |
| 2009 Q1 | -$86,028,380,985 | 68% | 44% |
| 2008 | $83,304,238,254 | -29% | -31% |
| 2008 Q4 | $113,653,228,192 | 27% | 19% |
| 2008 Q3 | $20,581,234,605 | -65% | -49% |
| 2008 Q2 | $134,554,670 | -100% | -99% |
| 2008 Q1 | -$51,064,779,212 | -15% | 49% |
Net Result in Debt Load – Green indicates that consumers decreased their debt relative to the previous quarter. Red indicates they increased their debt relative to the previous quarter.
Relative to Same Period – Green indicates that consumers either paid down more debt or accumulated less debt than they did in the previous two years. Red indicates that they either paid down less debt or accumulated more debt than they did in the same quarter in the previous two years.
Consumer Credit Card Debt and Charge-off Data (in Billions) Q1 1986 – Q3 2025:
*Numbers may differ from year to year due to the fact that the Federal Reserve regularly retroactively updates figures. Questions or requests for information can be directed to our media department.
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