If you have credit card debt, you're not alone. On average, Americans carry $6,194 in credit card debt, according to the 2019 Experian Consumer Credit Review.
A Credit Karma Study
According to our May 25, 2022, report of 73 million Credit Karma members with credit cards, Credit Karma members held more than $374 billion in credit card debt across more than 311 million open accounts. Average credit card debt by member was $6,198.
Although 6% may seem like a small amount, that means that based on the survey results, 14 million Americans have over $10,000 of credit card debt.
If your total balance is more than 30% of the total credit limit, you may be in too much debt. Some experts consider it best to keep credit utilization between 1% and 10%, while anything between 11% and 30% is typically considered good.
And yet, over half of Americans surveyed (53%) say that debt reduction is a top priority—while nearly a quarter (23%) say they have no debt. And that percentage may rise.
How much money does the average American owe? According to a 2020 Experian study, the average American carries $92,727 in consumer debt. Consumer debt includes a variety of personal credit accounts, such as credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, and student loans.
Credit Card Debt Trends
In Q4 2021, the average credit cardholder in the U.S. had $5,934 in credit card debt in Q4 2021 — about 0.6% less than Q4 2020's $5,968 average. During this same period, Americans opened 26 million more credit card accounts.
Credit scores are three-digit numbers that show an important piece of your financial history. Credit scores help lenders decide whether to grant you credit. The average credit score in the United States is 698, based on VantageScore® data from February 2021.
The average American's net worth: $121,760
The median net worth of Americans in 2019 was $121,760, according to the Federal Reserve. That's a $30,000 increase since 2010 but still below the median wealth recorded in 2007, 2004, and 2001 -- all before the 2008 recession. Data source: Federal Reserve (2020).
The average credit card debt of U.S. families is $6,270, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances.
In 2019, the average American mortgage debt was $213,599. This figure increased to $215,655 or by nearly 1% (0.96%) in 2020.
And according to data from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances by the US Federal Reserve, the most recent year for which they polled participants, Americans have a weighted average savings account balance of $41,600 which includes checking, savings, money market and prepaid debit cards, while the median was only ...
According to the Federal Reserve, only 45% of U.S. cardholders pay their card balance every month. Here's a closer look at the card payment numbers from the Fed: 45% always pay their card balance in full each month.
So how much non-mortgage debt do Americans have? According to Northwestern Mutual's 2021 Planning & Progress Study, U.S. adults aged 18 and over who carry debt hold an average of $23,325 outside of their mortgages.
25—34 year olds = $78,396
Credit cards often have high interest rates that can cause debt to snowball. Younger millennials carry an average debt of $78,396, primarily due to credit card balances, according to Experian.
Having a high net worth or being wealthy does not necessarily mean a person has an excellent credit score. Credit can cause confusion for people, even those who seem to understand the way money works the best. Not all wealthy people use credit to their best advantage.
About 21.8% of America has a credit score higher than 800 points. If you have a credit score of 800, it likely means that you manage debt well and never miss a loan payment. This makes you an ideal borrower and gives you access to more offers and lower interest rates.
As you add new credit, however, your average will drop. While there is no golden number to aim for, getting your average age of credit to between six and 10 years is probably a good goal.
About 52% of Americans owe $2,500 or less on their credit cards. If you're looking at $5,000 or higher, you should really get motivated to knock out that debt quickly.
Generally speaking, a good debt-to-income ratio is anything less than or equal to 36%. Meanwhile, any ratio above 43% is considered too high.
Compared to 2021 standards, respondents to the 2020 survey described the threshold for wealth as being a net worth of $2.6 million.
Is being debt-free the new rich? Yes, as long as you have money and assets, in addition to no debts. Living loan-free is a fantastic way to stay financially secure, and it is possible for anyone. While there are a couple of downsides to being debt-free, they are minimal.
Kevin O'Leary, an investor on “Shark Tank” and personal finance author, said in 2018 that the ideal age to be debt-free is 45. It's at this age, said O'Leary, that you enter the last half of your career and should therefore ramp up your retirement savings in order to ensure a comfortable life in your elderly years.