The United States is known for its expensive healthcare costs, even for people who have insurance. In total, Americans owe at least $195 billion in medical debt. Medical debt can become even more burdensome when a person defaults on it, as this information is reported to the credit bureaus and hurts the debtor’s credit score.
The good news is that the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – recently announced three major changes to how medical debt is reported.
- From July 1 onward, all medical debt in collections that was eventually paid off will be removed from people’s credit report history.
- From July 1 onward, new unpaid medical debts will not appear on credit reports for a full year to give people time to pay them off without hurting their score.
- Starting in the first half of 2023, medical debts of $500 or less will no longer appear on credit reports.
Together, these measures are expected to remove nearly 70% of medical collection debt tradelines from consumer credit reports. Cities where many people have small, new or recently-paid-off medical debts stand to gain the most from the changes. WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities across four key metrics based on TransUnion data in order to determine where people will receive the most credit-report relief.
Main Findings
Cities Benefiting Most From Medical-Debt Credit Report Changes
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | % Of People Who Have Medical Collections Debt | % Of People With Medical Collections Accounts That Have a Starting Balance Below $500 | % Of People Who Have at Least One Paid off Medical Collections Tradeline | % Of People With Medical Debt Less Than 1 Year Old |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Norfolk, VA | 100.00 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
2 | Newport News, VA | 99.41 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
3 | Gulfport, MS | 87.32 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 1 |
4 | Huntington, WV | 85.14 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 16 |
5 | Amarillo, TX | 84.07 | 6 | 17 | 1 | 24 |
6 | Casper, WY | 82.98 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 20 |
7 | Columbia, SC | 81.46 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 1 |
8 | Chesapeake, VA | 81.38 | 30 | 8 | 1 | 23 |
9 | Columbus, GA | 77.72 | 5 | 11 | 48 | 1 |
10 | Virginia Beach, VA | 77.27 | 39 | 15 | 1 | 28 |
11 | Augusta, GA | 76.93 | 7 | 5 | 66 | 1 |
12 | West Valley City, UT | 76.74 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 42 |
13 | Lubbock, TX | 73.75 | 18 | 10 | 32 | 14 |
14 | Toledo, OH | 73.33 | 27 | 23 | 17 | 17 |
15 | Oklahoma City, OK | 72.66 | 10 | 13 | 31 | 21 |
16 | Charlotte, NC | 72.57 | 32 | 26 | 34 | 1 |
17 | Shreveport, LA | 71.13 | 8 | 9 | 42 | 26 |
18 | Chattanooga, TN | 70.12 | 16 | 25 | 46 | 11 |
19 | Dover, DE | 70.05 | 26 | 22 | 26 | 19 |
20 | Huntsville, AL | 68.78 | 31 | 18 | 37 | 13 |
21 | Nampa, ID | 68.45 | 61 | 27 | 1 | 43 |
22 | Rutland, VT | 68.29 | 90 | 61 | 13 | 12 |
23 | Billings, MT | 66.85 | 84 | 31 | 1 | 39 |
24 | Charleston, WV | 66.45 | 11 | 7 | 38 | 36 |
25 | Wichita, KS | 65.07 | 29 | 29 | 19 | 41 |
26 | Milwaukee, WI | 64.52 | 13 | 16 | 74 | 22 |
27 | Fort Wayne, IN | 64.08 | 63 | 44 | 1 | 45 |
28 | Montgomery, AL | 63.62 | 14 | 28 | 162 | 1 |
29 | Jackson, MS | 63.39 | 24 | 35 | 95 | 10 |
30 | Reno, NV | 63.21 | 36 | 43 | 24 | 29 |
31 | Indianapolis, IN | 62.67 | 22 | 20 | 40 | 31 |
32 | Birmingham, AL | 61.61 | 21 | 33 | 82 | 15 |
33 | Jacksonville, FL | 61.29 | 20 | 32 | 87 | 18 |
34 | Greensboro, NC | 60.95 | 40 | 41 | 94 | 1 |
35 | Laredo, TX | 59.15 | 9 | 24 | 150 | 25 |
36 | Knoxville, TN | 58.95 | 46 | 38 | 27 | 34 |
37 | San Antonio, TX | 58.69 | 35 | 36 | 47 | 30 |
38 | Louisville, KY | 57.66 | 25 | 19 | 88 | 33 |
39 | Corpus Christi, TX | 57.42 | 12 | 37 | 57 | 37 |
40 | Winston-Salem, NC | 56.57 | 38 | 21 | 41 | 50 |
41 | Boise, ID | 53.87 | 111 | 71 | 1 | 62 |
42 | Salt Lake City, UT | 53.85 | 60 | 49 | 15 | 75 |
43 | Tulsa, OK | 52.33 | 56 | 74 | 28 | 35 |
44 | Mobile, AL | 52.14 | 23 | 47 | 137 | 27 |
45 | Newark, NJ | 51.90 | 17 | 30 | 147 | 40 |
46 | Portland, ME | 51.71 | 75 | 52 | 20 | 61 |
47 | Baton Rouge, LA | 51.55 | 37 | 34 | 69 | 52 |
48 | Little Rock, AR | 51.53 | 55 | 62 | 22 | 63 |
49 | Missoula, MT | 50.67 | 110 | 67 | 1 | 105 |
50 | Cheyenne, WY | 49.88 | 94 | 78 | 18 | 48 |
51 | St. Louis, MO | 49.78 | 45 | 40 | 59 | 47 |
52 | Fort Smith, AR | 48.48 | 54 | 57 | 39 | 59 |
53 | Memphis, TN | 47.74 | 33 | 60 | 139 | 32 |
54 | Charleston, SC | 47.29 | 62 | 51 | 35 | 73 |
55 | Aurora, IL | 47.19 | 41 | 46 | 85 | 53 |
56 | Richmond, VA | 46.68 | 51 | 55 | 30 | 94 |
57 | Kansas City, MO | 45.75 | 47 | 48 | 73 | 60 |
58 | Detroit, MI | 44.91 | 49 | 53 | 56 | 66 |
59 | Wilmington, DE | 44.44 | 52 | 50 | 36 | 131 |
60 | North Las Vegas, NV | 44.36 | 34 | 42 | 97 | 72 |
61 | Albuquerque, NM | 44.15 | 79 | 58 | 25 | 124 |
62 | Akron, OH | 43.85 | 50 | 39 | 76 | 78 |
63 | St. Petersburg, FL | 43.52 | 42 | 63 | 102 | 49 |
64 | Anchorage, AK | 43.51 | 85 | 73 | 14 | 152 |
65 | Lewiston, ME | 43.22 | 88 | 64 | 33 | 82 |
66 | Baltimore, MD | 42.98 | 67 | 59 | 50 | 68 |
67 | Columbus, OH | 42.75 | 48 | 45 | 77 | 84 |
68 | Grand Rapids, MI | 42.36 | 74 | 56 | 53 | 67 |
69 | Orlando, FL | 41.78 | 44 | 68 | 112 | 54 |
70 | Austin, TX | 40.90 | 70 | 69 | 51 | 70 |
71 | Springfield, MO | 40.82 | 81 | 65 | 78 | 56 |
72 | Glendale, AZ | 40.11 | 58 | 70 | 63 | 76 |
73 | Tacoma, WA | 39.47 | 73 | 88 | 84 | 46 |
74 | Las Vegas, NV | 39.40 | 43 | 54 | 114 | 87 |
75 | Raleigh, NC | 39.04 | 80 | 75 | 92 | 51 |
76 | Tampa, FL | 37.77 | 57 | 82 | 119 | 57 |
77 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 37.16 | 64 | 72 | 79 | 86 |
78 | Colorado Springs, CO | 36.82 | 112 | 99 | 29 | 92 |
79 | Cincinnati, OH | 36.74 | 76 | 80 | 75 | 71 |
80 | Fresno, CA | 35.97 | 106 | 97 | 43 | 80 |
81 | Fort Worth, TX | 35.86 | 59 | 81 | 99 | 77 |
82 | Phoenix, AZ | 35.77 | 71 | 84 | 68 | 89 |
83 | Aurora, CO | 35.50 | 101 | 86 | 55 | 79 |
84 | Denver, CO | 35.03 | 97 | 87 | 65 | 74 |
85 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 34.67 | 78 | 66 | 144 | 69 |
86 | El Paso, TX | 34.64 | 68 | 94 | 110 | 64 |
87 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 34.45 | 53 | 85 | 128 | 85 |
88 | New Orleans, LA | 34.21 | 65 | 83 | 83 | 99 |
89 | Mesa, AZ | 34.21 | 77 | 79 | 61 | 121 |
90 | Grand Prairie, TX | 34.19 | 66 | 76 | 93 | 95 |
91 | Atlanta, GA | 33.07 | 103 | 110 | 103 | 44 |
92 | Fayetteville, NC | 32.91 | 92 | 96 | 133 | 55 |
93 | Chandler, AZ | 32.89 | 93 | 101 | 49 | 109 |
94 | Durham, NC | 32.78 | 105 | 98 | 164 | 38 |
95 | Peoria, AZ | 32.27 | 102 | 95 | 52 | 102 |
96 | Henderson, NV | 32.26 | 72 | 77 | 115 | 98 |
97 | Arlington, TX | 32.01 | 69 | 89 | 100 | 101 |
98 | Las Cruces, NM | 31.65 | 86 | 90 | 80 | 111 |
99 | Brownsville, TX | 31.11 | 82 | 123 | 113 | 58 |
100 | Tucson, AZ | 30.78 | 96 | 91 | 108 | 83 |
101 | Tempe, AZ | 30.56 | 95 | 100 | 64 | 116 |
102 | Garland, TX | 30.53 | 87 | 93 | 109 | 93 |
103 | Gilbert, AZ | 29.75 | 113 | 107 | 44 | 119 |
104 | Nashville, TN | 29.63 | 83 | 109 | 91 | 96 |
105 | Chicago, IL | 29.62 | 89 | 92 | 124 | 88 |
106 | Bakersfield, CA | 29.46 | 99 | 103 | 62 | 125 |
107 | Bridgeport, CT | 28.22 | 0 | 114 | 60 | 91 |
108 | Houston, TX | 28.17 | 91 | 112 | 149 | 65 |
109 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 26.55 | 117 | 106 | 67 | 112 |
110 | Spokane, WA | 26.02 | 124 | 125 | 45 | 126 |
111 | Columbia, MD | 25.03 | 120 | 105 | 58 | 154 |
112 | Irving, TX | 24.91 | 107 | 102 | 127 | 115 |
113 | Dallas, TX | 24.52 | 104 | 108 | 131 | 106 |
114 | Buffalo, NY | 24.44 | 116 | 118 | 121 | 81 |
115 | Overland Park, KS | 23.64 | 129 | 124 | 72 | 100 |
116 | Des Moines, IA | 23.34 | 121 | 121 | 104 | 90 |
117 | Tallahassee, FL | 22.92 | 109 | 111 | 138 | 114 |
118 | Oxnard, CA | 22.66 | 125 | 120 | 86 | 117 |
119 | Cleveland, OH | 22.09 | 100 | 104 | 173 | 127 |
120 | Miami, FL | 21.81 | 108 | 113 | 153 | 123 |
121 | San Bernardino, CA | 21.69 | 119 | 115 | 98 | 133 |
122 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 21.59 | 115 | 119 | 135 | 108 |
123 | Hialeah, FL | 20.78 | 98 | 117 | 171 | 122 |
124 | Jersey City, NJ | 19.65 | 123 | 116 | 161 | 104 |
125 | Vancouver, WA | 19.62 | 140 | 139 | 70 | 130 |
126 | Worcester, MA | 19.47 | 148 | 135 | 90 | 110 |
127 | Salem, OR | 19.19 | 153 | 134 | 54 | 145 |
128 | Pittsburgh, PA | 18.69 | 138 | 128 | 129 | 97 |
129 | Manchester, NH | 18.28 | 122 | 122 | 136 | 134 |
130 | Philadelphia, PA | 17.84 | 127 | 126 | 142 | 120 |
131 | Scottsdale, AZ | 17.42 | 142 | 127 | 81 | 157 |
132 | Madison, WI | 17.23 | 149 | 154 | 96 | 107 |
133 | Cape Coral, FL | 17.00 | 134 | 130 | 145 | 113 |
134 | Moreno Valley, CA | 16.95 | 126 | 136 | 126 | 132 |
135 | Nashua, NH | 16.77 | 132 | 131 | 117 | 136 |
136 | Plano, TX | 16.70 | 130 | 129 | 106 | 147 |
137 | Yonkers, NY | 16.10 | 118 | 141 | 181 | 103 |
138 | Oceanside, CA | 15.56 | 128 | 132 | 146 | 135 |
139 | Juneau, AK | 15.54 | 141 | 133 | 111 | 149 |
140 | Long Beach, CA | 14.66 | 135 | 143 | 158 | 129 |
141 | Omaha, NE | 14.54 | 137 | 140 | 105 | 163 |
142 | New Haven, CT | 14.46 | 154 | 150 | 116 | 128 |
143 | Huntington Beach, CA | 14.32 | 144 | 142 | 122 | 141 |
144 | Modesto, CA | 14.15 | 131 | 137 | 160 | 137 |
145 | Fargo, ND | 14.09 | 163 | 148 | 71 | 168 |
146 | Fontana, CA | 14.00 | 147 | 147 | 101 | 156 |
147 | Lincoln, NE | 13.69 | 146 | 146 | 118 | 146 |
148 | Santa Clarita, CA | 13.11 | 164 | 159 | 89 | 140 |
149 | Stockton, CA | 13.08 | 133 | 149 | 143 | 153 |
150 | San Diego, CA | 12.43 | 139 | 144 | 163 | 138 |
151 | Chula Vista, CA | 12.36 | 136 | 138 | 172 | 143 |
152 | Riverside, CA | 11.71 | 150 | 153 | 151 | 139 |
153 | Washington, DC | 11.38 | 143 | 145 | 132 | 179 |
154 | Santa Ana, CA | 11.31 | 145 | 155 | 157 | 148 |
155 | Seattle, WA | 11.15 | 156 | 152 | 125 | 164 |
156 | Anaheim, CA | 11.12 | 151 | 151 | 154 | 150 |
157 | Ontario, CA | 10.29 | 157 | 157 | 141 | 151 |
158 | Sioux Falls, SD | 9.98 | 165 | 168 | 155 | 118 |
159 | Los Angeles, CA | 9.16 | 159 | 160 | 148 | 160 |
160 | Sacramento, CA | 8.69 | 152 | 158 | 168 | 165 |
161 | Irvine, CA | 8.49 | 161 | 162 | 140 | 166 |
162 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 8.46 | 162 | 161 | 134 | 172 |
163 | Oakland, CA | 7.83 | 160 | 164 | 169 | 159 |
164 | Santa Rosa, CA | 7.28 | 158 | 156 | 175 | 171 |
165 | Garden Grove, CA | 7.18 | 166 | 165 | 165 | 155 |
166 | Providence, RI | 6.85 | 155 | 163 | 167 | 180 |
167 | Portland, OR | 6.59 | 169 | 166 | 130 | 178 |
168 | Rapid City, SD | 6.34 | 171 | 172 | 123 | 175 |
169 | Burlington, VT | 6.23 | 180 | 175 | 120 | 162 |
170 | Rochester, NY | 6.11 | 177 | 173 | 107 | 182 |
171 | Bismarck, ND | 5.83 | 167 | 170 | 166 | 158 |
172 | Honolulu, HI | 5.74 | 168 | 167 | 180 | 142 |
173 | Pearl City, HI | 5.30 | 170 | 169 | 177 | 144 |
174 | Glendale, CA | 4.99 | 172 | 171 | 156 | 170 |
175 | Warwick, RI | 3.99 | 175 | 174 | 159 | 173 |
176 | Boston, MA | 2.95 | 182 | 181 | 152 | 174 |
177 | San Jose, CA | 2.42 | 174 | 176 | 176 | 177 |
178 | Fremont, CA | 2.27 | 176 | 182 | 170 | 176 |
179 | Minneapolis, MN | 2.20 | 181 | 180 | 179 | 161 |
180 | San Francisco, CA | 2.17 | 173 | 177 | 174 | 181 |
181 | St. Paul, MN | 1.97 | 179 | 179 | 178 | 167 |
182 | New York, NY | 1.47 | 178 | 178 | 182 | 169 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for each metric.

- Highest
- 1. Norfolk, VA
- 2. Newport News, VA
- 3. Huntington, VA
- 4. Gulfport, MS
- 5. Columbus, GA

- Lowest
- 178. New York, NY
- 179. St. Paul, MN
- 180. Burlington, VT
- 181. Minneapolis, MN
- 182. Boston, MA

- Highest
- T-1. Norfolk, VA
- T-1. Newport News, VA
- T-1. Huntington, WV
- 4. Gulfport, MS
- 5. Augusta, GA

- Lowest
- 178. New York, NY
- 179. St. Paul, MN
- 180. Minneapolis, MN
- 181. Boston, MA
- 182. Fremont, CA

- Lowest
- T-1. Billings, MT
- T-1. Casper, WY
- T-1. Nampa, ID
- T-1. Newport News, VA
- T-1. Missoula, MT

- Highest
- 178. St. Paul, MN
- 179. Minneapolis, MN
- 180. Honolulu, HI
- 181. Yonkers, NY
- 182. New York, NY

- Best
- T-1. Gulfport, MS
- T-1. Charlotte, NC
- T-1. Newport News, VA
- T-1. Augusta, GA
- T-1. Columbia, SC

- Worst
- 178. Portland, OR
- 179. Washington, DC
- 180. Providence, RI
- 181. San Francisco, CA
- 182. Rochester, NY
Methodology
In order to determine where people are benefiting the most and least from the new medical-debt credit report changes, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities based on TransUnion data. For our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.
First, we compiled four relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was given a value between 0 and 100, wherein 100 is the best value for that metric and 0 is the worst.
We then calculated the overall score for each city and finally ranked them using the weighted average across all metrics.
- % Of People Who Have Medical Collections Debt: Full Weight (~25.00 Points)
- % Of People With Medical Collections Accounts That Have a Starting Balance Below $500: Full Weight (~25.00 Points)
- % Of People Who Have at Least One Paid off Medical Collections Tradeline: Full Weight (~25.00 Points)
- % Of People With Medical Debt Less Than 1 Year Old: Full Weight (~25.00 Points)