As of late 2025, Alaska often ranks as having the highest average credit card debt per person (roughly $3,600+), while Hawaii and California frequently lead in total household credit card debt ($13k–$15k+). High costs of living,, particularly in Alaska and Hawaii, contribute significantly to these top rankings, notes Newsweek.
In states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, and Hawaii, total state and local government debt exceeds $26,000 per capita, making them the most indebted states in the country.
Below Are The 10 States With Worst Credit Scores (according to a report released by Experian in 2017) 1. Mississippi (worst on the list) 2. Louisiana 3. Georgia 4.
If measured in terms of absolute debt, that is debt with no reference to salary, the most indebted state is Colorado (averaging $89,170 per household).
The Brief. Santa Clarita, California has the highest credit card debt per household in the U.S.
Key Takeaways
The report found that the California state government carries more debt than any other state with $497 billion in liability. The findings stem from 2023, the most recent year for which complete data was available, according to the Reason Foundation, a think tank with offices in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
Key takeaways. If the interest rate on your debt is 6% or greater, you should generally pay down debt before investing additional dollars toward retirement. This guideline assumes that you've already put away some emergency savings, you've fully captured any employer match, and you've paid off all credit card debt.
Yes, you can likely get a $50,000 loan with a 700 credit score, as this falls into the "good" credit range (670-739) that unlocks better rates, but approval also hinges on your income, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio (ideally below 36%), and overall credit history, with lenders looking for stability and repayment ability, so prequalifying with multiple lenders helps compare terms.
The state governments with the lowest per capita debt at the end of 2023 were Tennessee, Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Indiana, each with less than $3,000 in debt per resident.
All 50 States, Ranked
California is #1 in the U.S. economy by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with its economy exceeding $4 trillion in 2024, making it the largest state economy and even ranking as the world's fourth-largest economy if it were a country. Texas and New York follow as the next largest state economies, with Florida also a major contributor.
Based on recent studies (2024-2025), Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, and South Carolina are frequently cited as the most financially distressed U.S. states, showing high rates of debt searches, credit issues, and accounts in forbearance/distress, while Hawaii, Vermont, and Alaska often rank as the least distressed. These rankings rely on metrics like credit scores, bankruptcy filings, and consumer financial health indicators.
An 800 credit score is considered "exceptional" and, while not extremely common, it's achieved by a significant minority: roughly 23-24% of U.S. consumers have scores of 800 or higher, meaning nearly one in four people falls into this top tier, though far fewer (around 1.5-2%) hit a perfect 850. This level of credit is excellent for securing the best loan rates, requiring consistent on-time payments, very low credit utilization, and a long credit history.
If you're talking about credit card debt, all you need to do is make minimum monthly payments. At a minimum payment of $200 a month at current interest rates, it will end up costing you $22,644.95 (in addition to the original $20,000!) to pay off all the debt, and it'll take you about 10 years to do it.
What debts are forgiven at death? No debts are automatically forgiven. However, if an estate is insolvent, any debts that cannot be paid after all assets are exhausted are effectively discharged. This most often applies to unsecured debts like medical bills and personal loans.
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Idaho residents have the highest debt-to-income ratio of any state in the country. Data collected by the Federal Reserve shows that Idaho residents have the highest debt-to-income (DTI) ratio in the country at 2.06 per household.