These US cities have the highest debt delinquency rates in 2026, new data shows

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A calculator on a smartphone is seen in this photo illustration on November 23, 2017. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A new analysis shows Americans in some cities are falling behind on debt payments at far higher rates than others, highlighting where financial strain is making it hardest for residents to catch up.

Residents in some cities face a much steeper climb to catch up on overdue debt than others. To pinpoint where people are struggling most, WalletHub analyzed proprietary user data from the fourth quarter of 2025 across the 100 largest U.S. cities, examining both the share of individual tradelines in delinquency and the portion of total loan balances past due.

Methodology:

To identify the cities most behind on debt payments, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities with complete data across two key metrics using figures from Q4 2025, the most recent available. 

The analysis gave equal weight to the share of tradelines that were delinquent and the percentage of total loan balances that were past due.

What they're saying:

"Being delinquent on debt can significantly damage a person’s credit score and make it harder to get a credit card, rent an apartment or buy a car or home in the future," said Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub. 

"People who miss a loan payment should try to get current as quickly as possible. The good news is that for many types of debt, borrowers have at least 30 days before delinquency is reported to the credit bureaus. That gives people some leeway to pull together funds and avoid credit score damage, though the issuer will likely still charge a late fee."

Most Delinquent Cities

Dig deeper:

Detroit

Detroit ranks as the most delinquent city, with residents behind on 15.7% of all loans and lines of credit — the highest share of delinquent tradelines nationwide.

By dollar amount, the picture is even worse: 20.2% of residents’ total debt is delinquent, also the highest rate in the country. Because the ranking weighs both measures, Detroit places first overall, while other cities rank lower due to more mixed results across the two metrics.

Newark, N.J. 

Newark has the second-highest level of debt delinquency. Roughly 15.5% of loans and lines of credit were delinquent in Q4 2025, the third-highest rate nationally.

But account-level data tells only part of the story. When measured by total balances, Newark residents are delinquent on 17.8% of their debt — the third-highest share in the country — helping secure its No. 2 overall ranking.

Greensboro, N.C.

Greensboro ranks third for debt delinquency, with about 15.5% of loans and lines of credit past due as of Q4 2025, the second-highest rate nationwide.

In terms of total balances, residents are delinquent on 13.7% of their debt, which ranks 13th nationally.