What is the average credit card debt in the US?
Asked by: Eleanore Auer Sr. | Last update: July 15, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (55 votes)
How much does the average American have in credit card debt?
According to data compiled by TransUnion, the average credit card debt for Americans was an estimated $6,329 through the second quarter of 2024. This was an increase of about 6% from the roughly $5,090 average credit card balance Americans had at the same time in 2023.
How many people have $50,000 in credit card debt?
Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year. Paying off that bill?
Is 20k in credit card debt a lot?
If you're carrying a significant balance, like $20,000 in credit card debt, a rate like that could have even more of a detrimental impact on your finances. The longer the balance goes unpaid, the more the interest charges compound, turning what could have been a manageable debt into a hefty financial burden.
What is considered a lot of credit card debt?
If your result is less than 36%, your debt load is affordable, according to NerdWallet. If it's between 36% and 50%, consider taking action, such as consulting a nonprofit credit counseling service, to reduce your debt. 50% or more is “high risk,” NerdWallet says and suggests getting advice from a bankruptcy attorney.
Americans struggling with credit card debt, record number only making minimum payments
Is $5,000 dollars a lot of credit card debt?
$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt.
What is considered a high level of debt?
Key takeaways
Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.
What is a manageable amount of credit card debt?
But ideally you should never spend more than 10% of your take-home pay towards credit card debt. So, for example, if you take home $2,500 a month, you should never pay more than $250 a month towards your credit card bills.
Is 50k too much debt?
“No matter what your income, $50,000 in debt is a significant amount,” said Sean Fox, president of debt resolution at Achieve, a digital personal finance company in San Mateo, California. “The first step is to acknowledge it is a problem and that you need to take action. It's not going to go away on its own.
How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck?
By that measure, around 30% of American households are living paycheck to paycheck, according to Bank of America's internal data. Further, 26% of households spend 95% or more of their income on necessities, the bank reports.
What is the average debt for a 40 year old?
Here's the average debt balances by age group: Gen Z (ages 18 to 23): $9,593. Millennials (ages 24 to 39): $78,396. Gen X (ages 40 to 55): $135,841.
What is the average savings of Americans?
According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) for 2022 (the most recent study released publicly), the average savings balance for people ages 64 and younger ranged from $20,540 to $72,520, with median balances ranging from $5,400 to $8,700.
What is the average credit score in America?
The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024.
What age group has the highest average credit card debt?
New research just in from experience on credit card debt. It found Gen X. Those of you aged 44 to 59. It's me carrying the highest credit card balances on average nearly $9300 of debt for millennials 28 to 43 years old or boomers age of 60 to 78.
What is the 28 36 rule?
The 28/36 rule
It suggests limiting your mortgage costs to 28% of your gross monthly income and keeping your total debt payments, including your mortgage, car loans, student loans, credit card debt and any other debts, below 36%.
What is a good monthly income for a credit card?
If your monthly income is $2,500, your DTI ratio would be 64 percent, which might be too high to qualify for some credit cards. With an income of roughly $3,700 and the same debt, however, you'd have a DTI ratio of 43 percent and would have better chances of qualifying for a credit card.
What is a good credit score?
There are some differences around how the various data elements on a credit report factor into the score calculations. Although credit scoring models vary, generally, credit scores from 660 to 724 are considered good; 725 to 759 are considered very good; and 760 and up are considered excellent.
How much credit card debt is normal?
At the close of 2019, the average household had a credit card debt of $7,499. During the first quarter of 2021, it dropped to $6,209. In 2022, credit card debt rose again to $7,951 and has increased linearly. In 2023, it reached $8,599 — $75 shy of the 2024 average.
How many Americans have $30,000 in credit card debt?
Roughly 78% have a financial regret, with 1 in 5 (21%) saying it's “charging up too much credit card debt.” More than 1 in 4 (26%) have $15,000 to $30,000 in credit card debt – and 15% say they owe $30,000 to $50,000.
When can good debt be bad?
Debt can be good or bad. Debt used to help build wealth or improve a person's financial situation might be considered good debt. Debt that's unaffordable or doesn't offer long-term benefits might be considered bad debt. Debt that might be considered good has the potential to become bad if it's not managed responsibly.
How much is the average person in debt?
According to Experian, average total consumer household debt in 2023 is $104,215. That's up 11% from 2020, when average total consumer debt was $92,727.
What is an unhealthy amount of debt?
Debt loads in excess of 36% DTI can be difficult to pay off and can make accessing credit more challenging. If you can't keep up with payments, or you're facing stress or sleepless nights, then it's likely time to make a plan to pay off your debt or look into debt relief.
Is 100k in debt too much?
“No matter what your income, $100,000 in debt is a very significant amount. The first step to take is to acknowledge it is a problem and that you need to take action now; it's not going to disappear on its own.”