U.S. Household Debt & Delinquency by State 2026
Five debt metrics across all 50 states and DC reveal where financial distress concentrates — and where leverage and delinquency overlap most dangerously. All data Q4 2025 from the NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax.
Data period: Q4 2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-09
Which States Have the Most Household Debt?
District of Columbia carries the highest total household debt per capita at $102,400, followed by Colorado ($92,690) and California ($87,850). The national average is $63,200.
High debt alone is a weak distress signal — coastal states with expensive housing carry large mortgage balances while maintaining low delinquency rates. The states in genuine trouble are those where high leverage coincides with high delinquency. 8 states currently exceed the national average on four or more of the five metrics tracked here: credit card delinquency, auto loan delinquency, mortgage delinquency, total debt per capita, and credit card balance per capita.
At a Glance
The American Distress Index reads 59.0 (Elevated). Geographic concentration of delinquency is a systemic risk signal the ADI tracks. When the same states appear in the top 10 for credit card delinquency, auto loan delinquency, and mortgage delinquency simultaneously, it suggests structural pressure — not isolated incidents. This pattern is central to the two-economy divergence the ADI documents.
The Delinquency Divide: Top 10 vs. Bottom 10 States
The gap between the most and least distressed states is striking. Nevada's credit card delinquency rate of 16.3% is 2.0x the rate in Wisconsin (8.0%). The worst states cluster in the Sun Belt and South; the best in the upper Midwest and Mountain West — the same fault line that defined the geography of the 2008 mortgage crisis.
Credit Card Delinquency: Top 10 vs. Bottom 10 States (Q4 2025)
Source: NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. Delinquency = 90+ days past due as share of balances.
High Debt, High Delinquency: The Danger Zone
Debt levels alone tell an incomplete story. District of Columbia carries $102,400 in total debt per capita — but its credit card delinquency rate of 11.2% is below the national average. The states that matter most for distress analysis are those where high leverage and high delinquency coincide: when borrowers carry substantial debt and can't service it.
Total Debt Per Capita (Top 10 States) with Credit Card Delinquency
Source: NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. Q4 2025.
National debt trends: Consumer Debt Statistics 2026
Where Debt Is Growing Fastest
Total debt per capita rose 22.5% nationally from Q4 2019 to Q4 2025. But the increase is deeply uneven. Idaho saw per-capita debt rise 37.6% over the same period — from $50,470 to $69,450. Much of this reflects mortgage origination in booming housing markets, but the fastest-growing states also tend to show accelerating delinquency rates.
Total Debt Per Capita Growth, 2019–2025 (Top 15 States)
Source: NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. Q4 2019 vs Q4 2025.
Auto Loan Delinquency by State (Top 10)
Auto loans sit higher in the default hierarchy than credit cards — borrowers sacrifice credit card payments before risking a repossession. When a state shows elevated auto delinquency, it signals that households have already burned through the buffer that normally separates credit card trouble from broader financial distress. District of Columbia leads at 13.6%, more than 5.2x the rate in Massachusetts.
Auto Loan Delinquency Rate — Top 10 States (Q4 2025)
Source: NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. Delinquency = 90+ days past due.
National auto loan trend: Auto Loan Serious Delinquency Rate time series
State Rankings: Top 10 and Bottom 10
Rankings across all five metrics. States that appear in the top 10 (highest delinquency or debt) across multiple categories represent concentrated distress. States in the bottom 10 across multiple categories represent relative financial resilience.
Highest Credit Card Delinquency
| # | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 16.3% |
| 2 | Florida | 14.9% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 14.2% |
| 4 | Texas | 14.2% |
| 5 | Georgia | 13.9% |
| 6 | Arkansas | 13.8% |
| 7 | West Virginia | 13.7% |
| 8 | Arizona | 13.7% |
| 9 | Mississippi | 13.4% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 13.4% |
Highest Auto Loan Delinquency
| # | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 13.6% |
| 2 | Mississippi | 7.7% |
| 3 | Georgia | 7.0% |
| 4 | Alabama | 6.5% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 6.5% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6.3% |
| 7 | Michigan | 6.3% |
| 8 | South Carolina | 6.2% |
| 9 | Nevada | 6.2% |
| 10 | Delaware | 6.1% |
Highest Mortgage Delinquency
| # | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 1.8% |
| 2 | Mississippi | 1.7% |
| 3 | Florida | 1.4% |
| 4 | New York | 1.4% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1.3% |
| 6 | Georgia | 1.3% |
| 7 | Texas | 1.2% |
| 8 | Alabama | 1.1% |
| 9 | Illinois | 1.1% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 1.1% |
Highest Total Debt Per Capita
| # | State | Debt |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $102.4k |
| 2 | Colorado | $92.7k |
| 3 | California | $87.8k |
| 4 | Washington | $85.9k |
| 5 | Hawaii | $83.5k |
| 6 | Utah | $83.3k |
| 7 | Maryland | $81.4k |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $77.4k |
| 9 | Virginia | $77.1k |
| 10 | Nevada | $71.3k |
All States: Five Debt & Delinquency Metrics
The complete dataset for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each state links to its foreclosure law guide. Delinquency rates are percentages of balances 90+ days past due. Debt and balance figures are per capita among adults with credit files.
Download full dataset (CSV)| State | CC Delinq % | Auto Delinq % | Mortgage Delinq % | Total Debt/Cap | CC Balance/Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 12.2 | 6.5 | 1.1 | $48,910 | $3,400 |
| Alaska | 9.8 | 2.9 | 0.7 | $69,460 | $5,250 |
| Arizona | 13.7 | 5.6 | 0.9 | $70,850 | $4,530 |
| Arkansas | 13.8 | 5.6 | 1.1 | $43,090 | $3,310 |
| California | 13.2 | 4.8 | 0.6 | $87,850 | $5,000 |
| Colorado | 11.1 | 4.0 | 0.8 | $92,690 | $4,910 |
| Connecticut | 10.5 | 3.1 | 1.0 | $67,530 | $4,960 |
| Delaware | 12.2 | 6.1 | 1.1 | $66,170 | $4,520 |
| District of Columbia | 11.2 | 13.6 | 1.0 | $102,400 | $5,500 |
| Florida | 14.9 | 5.5 | 1.4 | $61,890 | $5,050 |
| Georgia | 13.9 | 7.0 | 1.3 | $62,070 | $4,610 |
| Hawaii | 10.2 | 3.7 | 0.6 | $83,480 | $5,220 |
| Idaho | 9.5 | 3.3 | 0.7 | $69,450 | $3,870 |
| Illinois | 11.6 | 5.6 | 1.1 | $54,050 | $4,260 |
| Indiana | 11.7 | 6.3 | 1.1 | $49,330 | $3,410 |
| Iowa | 10.3 | 3.5 | 0.8 | $47,410 | $3,250 |
| Kansas | 10.7 | 4.0 | 0.8 | $46,720 | $3,670 |
| Kentucky | 11.8 | 4.9 | 1.0 | $43,160 | $3,140 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 6.5 | 1.8 | $48,250 | $3,610 |
| Maine | 9.8 | 3.1 | 0.8 | $53,360 | $3,760 |
| Maryland | 11.7 | 6.0 | 1.1 | $81,390 | $5,090 |
| Massachusetts | 10.3 | 2.6 | 0.7 | $77,400 | $4,650 |
| Michigan | 11.3 | 6.3 | 0.9 | $48,050 | $3,670 |
| Minnesota | 8.6 | 3.0 | 0.6 | $63,860 | $3,990 |
| Mississippi | 13.4 | 7.7 | 1.7 | $41,450 | $3,030 |
| Missouri | 11.3 | 5.5 | 0.8 | $49,420 | $3,550 |
| Montana | 9.8 | 4.0 | 0.5 | $58,390 | $3,850 |
| Nebraska | 9.8 | 3.3 | 0.7 | $49,530 | $3,650 |
| Nevada | 16.3 | 6.2 | 0.9 | $71,260 | $5,060 |
| New Hampshire | 9.8 | 3.0 | 0.6 | $66,480 | $4,500 |
| New Jersey | 11.4 | 4.2 | 1.1 | $69,550 | $5,160 |
| New Mexico | 11.9 | 6.1 | 1.0 | $49,260 | $3,520 |
| New York | 12.9 | 4.3 | 1.4 | $59,420 | $4,820 |
| North Carolina | 12.5 | 6.1 | 0.9 | $61,070 | $4,160 |
| North Dakota | 9.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | $53,300 | $3,970 |
| Ohio | 11.1 | 5.3 | 1.0 | $46,780 | $3,560 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 5.5 | 1.3 | $43,170 | $3,460 |
| Oregon | 9.5 | 3.6 | 0.6 | $69,640 | $4,030 |
| Pennsylvania | 12.3 | 4.8 | 1.1 | $50,360 | $3,950 |
| Rhode Island | 11.4 | 3.5 | 1.0 | $60,090 | $4,490 |
| South Carolina | 13.4 | 6.2 | 1.1 | $59,460 | $4,090 |
| South Dakota | 9.1 | 3.6 | 0.8 | $52,270 | $3,530 |
| Tennessee | 11.6 | 5.7 | 0.7 | $56,690 | $3,710 |
| Texas | 14.2 | 5.8 | 1.2 | $60,020 | $4,620 |
| Utah | 9.4 | 3.0 | 0.7 | $83,350 | $4,260 |
| Vermont | 9.0 | 2.8 | 0.6 | $52,910 | $3,790 |
| Virginia | 9.8 | 4.6 | 0.7 | $77,060 | $4,770 |
| Washington | 9.3 | 3.8 | 0.6 | $85,880 | $4,640 |
| West Virginia | 13.7 | 5.3 | 1.1 | $37,850 | $3,180 |
| Wisconsin | 8.0 | 3.6 | 0.5 | $49,210 | $3,400 |
| Wyoming | 10.5 | 3.5 | 0.8 | $57,120 | $3,990 |
| National Average | 12.4 | 5.2 | 0.9 | $63,200 | $4,350 |
Values highlighted in red exceed the national average. State names link to foreclosure law guides.
The Overlap Problem
A state can carry high debt without high distress — expensive coastal markets often do. And a state can have high delinquency rates on low balances — which limits systemic exposure. The danger zone is where both conditions meet: states where per-capita leverage is substantial and the ability to service that debt is deteriorating. The Sun Belt corridor from Florida through Texas, plus much of the Deep South, appears in the top 15 for both total debt per capita and credit card delinquency — a combination that mirrors the geographic footprint of the 2006–2008 mortgage crisis. See the State ADI Rankings 2026 for how these debt patterns feed into composite distress scores.
Data Sources
NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel
All figures from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's nationally representative 5% sample of Equifax consumer credit reports. State-level snapshots represent Q4 (year-end) data published annually.
Delinquency Definition
Delinquency rates measure balances 90+ days past due as a percentage of total balances in each loan category. Per-capita figures use the adult population with a credit file, not total state population.
Citation
State Level Household Debt Statistics 2003-2025, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 2026. For more granular credit card analysis, see Consumer Debt by State and Credit Card Default Statistics 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the highest credit card delinquency rate?
Nevada has the highest credit card delinquency rate at 16.3% as of Q4 2025. The national average is 12.4%. The top states are concentrated in the Sun Belt and Deep South, where rapid population growth has outpaced wage gains.
Which state has the most household debt per capita?
District of Columbia carries the highest total household debt per capita at $102,400, driven primarily by high housing costs and large mortgage balances. However, high per-capita debt alone is a weak distress signal — it becomes concerning only when paired with elevated delinquency rates.
What is the average household debt in the United States?
Total household debt per capita stands at $63,200 nationally as of Q4 2025, up from $51,580 in Q4 2019 — a 22.5% increase. This figure includes mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, student loans, and other consumer credit.
Which states have the highest auto loan delinquency?
District of Columbia leads auto loan delinquency at 13.6%, followed by Mississippi (7.7%) and Georgia (7.0%). The national average is 5.2%. Auto loan delinquency is a late-stage distress signal — borrowers typically sacrifice credit card payments before missing car payments.
How does state debt connect to the American Distress Index?
The ADI tracks geographic concentration of delinquency as a systemic risk indicator. When the same states appear in the top 10 across credit card, auto, and mortgage delinquency simultaneously, it signals structural economic pressure rather than isolated local conditions. The current geographic pattern — concentrated distress in the Sun Belt and South — mirrors the pre-2008 crisis footprint. The ADI currently reads 59.0 (Elevated).