What does the average person owe on credit cards?

Asked by: Prof. Elenor Kilback  |  Last update: February 21, 2024
Score: 4.1/5 (65 votes)

Average American Credit Card Debt The Federal Reserve study does not provide numbers for the average credit card balance per consumer. However, according to recent numbers put out by Transunion, this figure rose from $5,474 in Q3 2022 to $6,088 in Q3 2023.

How much does the average person have in credit card debt?

Credit card debt in America by the numbers

That represents a 4.6% increase in a single quarter, with cardholders shouldering thirteen-figure debt at $1.03 trillion for the first time. In short, that amounts to an average balance of $5,733 per cardholder.

What is a good amount to owe on a credit card?

It's your credit card debt ratio. In general, you never want your minimum credit card payments to exceed 10 percent of your net income. Net income is the amount of income you take home after taxes and other deductions.

Is $5,000 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. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.

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? Well, that's not impossible either, though it is considerably less fun.

How overspending on credit cards can affect your finances for years to come

18 related questions found

How much credit card debt does the average American have in 2023?

Average American Credit Card Debt

The Federal Reserve study does not provide numbers for the average credit card balance per consumer. However, according to recent numbers put out by Transunion, this figure rose from $5,474 in Q3 2022 to $6,088 in Q3 2023.

What is considered really bad credit card debt?

There are a couple ways credit card debt can damage your credit score: High balances: A major factor in your credit score is your credit utilization ratio (your credit card balances divided by their credit limits). Once this number gets above about 30%, it's bad for your credit.

What percentage of Americans have $10000 in credit card debt?

After several tumultuous years for the U.S. economy, the weight of consumer credit card debt has become increasingly burdensome. In fact, an average of 22.6% of American credit cardholders across the 100 largest metros have balances of at least $10,000 — an increase of 45.8% from 2019 and 32.9% from 2021.

How to pay off $3,000 in 3 months?

The best way to pay off $3,000 in debt fast is to use a 0% APR balance transfer credit card because it will enable you to put your full monthly payment toward your current balance instead of new interest charges. As long as you avoid adding new debt, you can repay what you owe in a matter of months.

How many Americans are debt free?

Around 23% of Americans are debt free, according to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve. That figure factors in every type of debt, from credit card balances and student loans to mortgages, car loans and more. The exact definition of debt free can vary, though, depending on whom you ask.

What is considered a lot 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.

Are most Americans in credit card debt?

Although Americans helped stave off a recession in 2023 by spending enough to propel economic growth, it has come at a cost: Nearly half of consumers say they are carrying credit card debt, according to a new survey from Bankrate.

How many people live paycheck to paycheck?

Per the most recent PYMNTS data from June 2023, 61 percent of adults are now living paycheck to paycheck.

What is the average credit score in America?

In the U.S., the average credit score is 716, per Experian's latest data from the second quarter of 2023. And when you break down the average credit score by age, the typical American is hovering near or above that score.

Do people live off credit cards?

The survey found that 48% of Americans depend on credit cards to cover essential living expenses. This is more common among younger generations: 59% of millennials use credit cards for living expenses. Conversely, only 29% of boomers rely on credit cards to cover essential expenses.

Are people defaulting on credit cards?

While Baby Boomers (born 1946-64), Generation X (born 1965-79), and Generation Z (born 1995-2011) credit card users have delinquency rates similar to their pre-pandemic levels and trends, Millennial (born 1980-94) credit card users began exceeding pre-pandemic delinquency levels in the middle of last year and now have ...

What percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck?

If it seems like your paycheck disappears as quickly as it hits your bank account, you're not alone. More than 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck as of September 2023, according to a LendingClub report. Even people in higher income brackets are affected.

How long will it take to pay off $30,000 in debt?

It will take 41 months to pay off $30,000 with payments of $1,000 per month, assuming the average credit card APR of around 18%. The time it takes to repay a balance depends on how often you make payments, how big your payments are and what the interest rate charged by the lender is.

How can I pay off my credit card debt if I have no money?

  1. Using a balance transfer credit card. ...
  2. Consolidating debt with a personal loan. ...
  3. Borrowing money from family or friends. ...
  4. Paying off high-interest debt first. ...
  5. Paying off the smallest balance first. ...
  6. Bottom line.

Can you have credit card debt and still have good credit?

Having a mix of credit helps your credit score

The most creditworthy consumers don't have high scores because they are in debt; rather, it's because they likely have a variety of different credit products, such as credit cards and installment loans like a mortgage, that add up.

Which gender has more credit card debt?

Men have 2% more credit card debt than women. Men have 20% more personal loan debt than women. Men have 16.3% more auto loan debt than women. Men have 9.7% more mortgage debt than women.

What is an average credit score 2023?

The average FICO® Score in the United States was 715 in 2023, according to Experian data, increasing by one point from its 714 average in the third quarter (Q3) of 2022. It marks the 10th consecutive year that average FICO® Scores in the U.S. haven't decreased on an annual basis.

What is a good credit score in 2023?

2023, the average VantageScore 4.0 in the US was 701. A 701 is in the “good” score range for VantageScores (670 to 739), and people with this score can likely qualify for many loans and credit cards.