These cities have the highest and lowest credit card debts in 2025

Most Americans experiencing credit card debt are facing the financial burden of managing it. 

With credit card debt expected to rise in 2025, WalletHub released a study assessing the cities with the highest and lowest credit card debts. 

RELATED: Americans owe record $1.3 trillion in credit card debt

The financial services platform collected its findings by comparing 182 of the largest U.S. cities, including the 150 most populated cities, and at least two of the most populated cities in each state using the latest data on consumers’ finances from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve. Results from the findings were then used to rank the cities.

Cities with the highest and lowest credit card debts per household

Dig deeper:

WalletHub noted in their report that Americans owe $1.36 trillion in credit card debt, which is roughly $10,800 per household.  And here is a ranking of cities with the highest and lowest credit card debts per household. 

Cities with the highest credit card debts per household

1. Santa Clarita, CA ($21,625)
2. Chula Vista, CA ($20,837)
3. New York, NY ($19,540)
4. Rancho Cucamonga, CA ($19,515)
5. Fontana, CA ($19,325)
6. Oxnard, CA ($19,144)
7. Gilbert, AZ ($18,914)
8. Santa Ana, CA ($18,546)
9. Riverside, CA ($18,462)
10. Moreno Valley, CA ($18,414)

Cities with the lowest credit card debts per household

1. Madison, WI ($8,941)
2. Toledo, OH ($9,458)
3. Cedar Rapids, IA ($9,684)
4. Milwaukee ($10,045)
5. Rochester, NY ($10,096)
6. Fort Wayne, IN ($10,096)
7. Cleveland ($10,106)
8. Des Moines, IA ($10,474)
9. Akron, OH ($10,512)
10. Newark, NJ ($10,528)

A closer look at the top cities with the highest credit card debts

By the numbers:

Santa Clarita, California ranked as the city with the highest credit card debt, with the average household owing $21,625 on their credit cards, which adds up to $1.6 billion for all the residents in the area, WalletHub noted.

According to the report, Santa Clarita also ranks as the city that paid off the most household debt during the first quarter of 2025. The area also has a higher median income than the U.S. average, implying that consumers might have big credit card limits and can afford to spend more.

Chula Vista, California had the second-highest credit card debt per household at an average of $20,837, which is roughly $1.8 billion for Chula Vista’s population.

WalletHub noted that Chula Vista is a wealthy city where residents can manage high spending. Residents paid off the seventh-most household debt in the first quarter of 2025, and it ranks 63rd out of 100 of the largest cities when it comes to debt delinquency.

New York has the third-most credit card debt in the nation, at $19,540 on average. According to WalletHub, residents owe nearly $65 billion to their credit card companies.

Residents in the area paid off the 47th-most household debt during the first quarter of 2025 out of more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities, but the city has the 48th-highest debt delinquency rate.