Buffer Depletion

Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile)

Tracking worsening relative to recent baseline.

What is the current Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile)?

REVOLVING CREDIT UTILIZATION (75TH PERCENTILE
52.49% ↑ Worsening
Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) rising to 52.

Borrowers at the 75th percentile of credit card utilization are using 52.49% of their available revolving credit, according to Federal Reserve data. High utilization — typically above 30% — signals financial strain and reduces credit scores, creating a feedback loop where stressed borrowers face higher rates and reduced access to credit. Source: NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel.

Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) rising to 52.5%

Tracking worsening relative to recent baseline.

Explore Further

How has Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) changed over time?

CSV Chart Card
Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) over time
Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile), percent
Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile)
Historical data
Quarterly · Federal Reserve via FRED
Period Value YoY Change
Q3 2025 52.49% −1.1 pts
Q2 2025 51.82% −1.0 pts
Q1 2025 51.67% −1.1 pts
Q4 2024 55.18% −0.6 pts
Q3 2024 53.57% +0.4 pts
Q2 2024 52.78% +1.6 pts
Q1 2024 52.73% +3.0 pts
Q4 2023 55.8% +3.6 pts
Q3 2023 53.15% +5.0 pts
Q2 2023 51.15% +5.8 pts
Q1 2023 49.71% +6.7 pts
Q4 2022 52.17% +6.4 pts

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 75th percentile credit utilization mean?

It means that one-quarter of borrowers are using more than 52.49% of their available revolving credit. Financial advisors generally recommend keeping utilization below 30%. At 52%+, borrowers are more than halfway to maxing out their available credit.

Why does high utilization matter?

High utilization is both a symptom and a cause of financial distress. It signals that borrowers are relying heavily on available credit, and it damages credit scores, which leads to higher interest rates and reduced credit access — creating a downward spiral.

Where does this data come from?

The New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel provides credit utilization data by percentile, drawn from a nationally representative sample of Equifax consumer credit reports.

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Why does Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) matter?

Revolving Credit Utilization (75th Percentile) is one of 91 indicators in the American Distress Index's buffer depletion layer — the signal that predicted the 2008 crisis two years before delinquency data confirmed it.
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