Credit card debt, student loans, mortgage balances, and auto loans — ranked for all 50 states with year-over-year changes and key insights.
The avalanche method (paying highest-interest debt first) saves the most money mathematically. The snowball method (smallest balance first) works better for motivation. Choose the one you will actually stick with.
The average American carries $104,215 in total debt in 2026 — but that number varies dramatically by state. Alaska residents carry nearly twice the credit card debt of Iowans. Maryland homeowners hold the largest mortgage balances in the country. And Washington D.C. residents carry more student loan debt than any state. This page compiles data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel, Experian's State of Credit report, and the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances to give you the most complete picture of debt by state available.
Average credit card balance per borrower with an open credit card account. Source: Experian State of Credit 2026.
| Rank | State | Avg. CC Debt | YoY Change | Avg. Credit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $7,338 | +3.2% | 714 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $7,258 | +2.8% | 728 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $7,142 | +4.1% | 722 |
| 4 | Maryland | $7,089 | +3.9% | 716 |
| 5 | Virginia | $7,012 | +2.6% | 718 |
| 6 | New York | $6,988 | +5.2% | 711 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $6,921 | +1.8% | 719 |
| 8 | Georgia | $6,874 | +6.1% | 694 |
| 9 | Texas | $6,812 | +5.4% | 697 |
| 10 | Florida | $6,741 | +4.8% | 700 |
| 11 | Colorado | $6,698 | +3.3% | 724 |
| 12 | Washington | $6,652 | +2.9% | 726 |
| 13 | California | $6,621 | +3.7% | 716 |
| 14 | Nevada | $6,589 | +5.8% | 698 |
| 15 | Arizona | $6,548 | +4.2% | 704 |
| 16 | Illinois | $6,512 | +3.1% | 712 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $6,487 | +2.4% | 731 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $6,421 | +4.9% | 706 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $6,398 | +2.7% | 715 |
| 20 | Delaware | $6,371 | +3.4% | 712 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $6,318 | +5.2% | 697 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $6,284 | +4.6% | 700 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $6,241 | +3.8% | 685 |
| 24 | Oregon | $6,198 | +2.1% | 718 |
| 25 | Michigan | $6,154 | +3.2% | 709 |
| 26 | Ohio | $6,112 | +2.8% | 710 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $6,089 | +1.9% | 742 |
| 28 | Missouri | $6,041 | +3.1% | 708 |
| 29 | Indiana | $5,998 | +2.6% | 706 |
| 30 | Kansas | $5,974 | +2.4% | 712 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $5,941 | +4.1% | 697 |
| 32 | Alabama | $5,918 | +3.8% | 692 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $5,884 | +3.2% | 698 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $5,841 | +2.9% | 694 |
| 35 | Utah | $5,812 | +1.8% | 729 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $5,789 | +2.1% | 724 |
| 37 | Idaho | $5,748 | +2.4% | 718 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $5,712 | +3.6% | 690 |
| 39 | Montana | $5,681 | +1.9% | 720 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $5,648 | +2.8% | 689 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $5,621 | +1.6% | 726 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $5,598 | +1.4% | 730 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $5,572 | +2.1% | 718 |
| 44 | Vermont | $5,541 | +1.8% | 738 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $5,518 | +2.2% | 736 |
| 46 | Maine | $5,489 | +1.9% | 724 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $5,462 | +2.4% | 718 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $5,418 | +3.1% | 681 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $5,389 | +1.7% | 732 |
| 50 | Iowa | $5,298 | +1.4% | 736 |
| National Average | $6,501 | +4.8% | 714 | |
Average federal and private student loan balance per borrower. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel, 2026.
| Rank | State | Avg. Student Loan Debt | % of Adults with Loans | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington D.C. | $54,812 | 22.4% | +1.8% |
| 2 | Maryland | $43,619 | 19.8% | +2.1% |
| 3 | Georgia | $42,174 | 18.2% | +2.4% |
| 4 | Virginia | $41,898 | 17.9% | +1.9% |
| 5 | Florida | $40,521 | 17.4% | +2.6% |
| 6 | New York | $39,874 | 16.8% | +1.7% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $39,241 | 17.1% | +1.4% |
| 8 | North Carolina | $38,912 | 16.4% | +2.2% |
| 9 | Texas | $38,418 | 15.9% | +2.8% |
| 10 | California | $37,892 | 15.4% | +1.6% |
| 15 | Illinois | $36,541 | 15.8% | +1.9% |
| 20 | Ohio | $34,218 | 16.2% | +1.2% |
| 25 | Michigan | $32,874 | 15.4% | +1.4% |
| 30 | Minnesota | $31,241 | 14.8% | +0.9% |
| 35 | Colorado | $30,218 | 14.1% | +1.1% |
| 40 | Utah | $28,741 | 12.8% | +0.8% |
| 45 | North Dakota | $27,412 | 11.9% | +0.6% |
| 48 | Wyoming | $26,841 | 11.2% | +0.4% |
| 49 | Iowa | $26,418 | 11.8% | +0.7% |
| 50 | Utah (lowest) | $25,891 | 11.1% | +0.5% |
| National Average | $38,290 | 15.6% | +2.1% | |
Average outstanding mortgage balance among homeowners with a mortgage. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2026.
| Rank | State | Avg. Mortgage Balance | Median Home Price | Homeownership Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $448,219 | $789,000 | 54.8% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $421,874 | $842,000 | 58.2% |
| 3 | Washington D.C. | $412,541 | $698,000 | 41.2% |
| 4 | Washington | $389,218 | $612,000 | 62.4% |
| 5 | Colorado | $374,891 | $589,000 | 64.8% |
| 6 | Maryland | $368,412 | $412,000 | 67.2% |
| 7 | New Jersey | $362,874 | $498,000 | 63.8% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $358,219 | $589,000 | 62.1% |
| 9 | New York | $341,874 | $412,000 | 53.4% |
| 10 | Oregon | $328,541 | $489,000 | 61.8% |
| 15 | Texas | $289,412 | $342,000 | 62.4% |
| 20 | Florida | $268,874 | $412,000 | 65.8% |
| 25 | Georgia | $241,218 | $312,000 | 64.2% |
| 30 | North Carolina | $218,874 | $298,000 | 65.4% |
| 35 | Ohio | $189,412 | $218,000 | 66.8% |
| 40 | Indiana | $174,218 | $198,000 | 69.2% |
| 45 | Iowa | $158,874 | $189,000 | 70.4% |
| 48 | Mississippi | $148,219 | $168,000 | 68.8% |
| 49 | Arkansas | $144,874 | $162,000 | 66.2% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $138,412 | $148,000 | 72.4% |
| National Average | $236,443 | $312,000 | 65.8% | |
These three states consistently rank at the top for credit card debt per borrower. Higher cost of living, higher average incomes, and greater access to premium credit products all contribute to higher balances.
Lower cost of living, more conservative borrowing habits, and stronger community banking cultures contribute to lower average debt in these states. Notably, these states also rank among the highest for average credit scores.
Connecticut and New Jersey carry high credit card debt but also have high average credit scores (728 and 722). This reflects high-income borrowers who pay balances in full. The key driver of credit score is utilization ratio, not raw balance.
Washington D.C. has the highest average student loan debt in the country — 43% above the national average. This reflects the high concentration of graduate and professional degree holders in the region.
The average California mortgage balance of $448,219 is nearly double the national average. This reflects the state's extreme housing costs, where the median home price exceeds $789,000 — pricing out first-time buyers without significant down payments.
States like Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio offer median home prices well below $220,000, making homeownership achievable with a 620+ credit score and modest down payment. These markets are increasingly attracting remote workers from high-cost states.
The Debt Freedom Planner gives you a step-by-step payoff system using either the debt snowball or debt avalanche method — with fill-in worksheets, a budget template, and a debt-free date calculator. Over 2,000 people have used it to build a real payoff plan.
Get the Debt Freedom Planner — $17 →WiseIQ's editorial team researches and fact-checks all content using primary sources. Our recommendations are based on independent analysis and are not influenced by advertiser relationships.
Last reviewed: April 2026 | How we rank products