Alaskans Carry The Highest Average Credit-Card Debt In The US

by Tyler Durden

Friday, Dec 12, 2025 – 10:00 PM

U.S. credit card balances have climbed to $1.21 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s 2025 report.

This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, visualizes how average credit card debt varies widely across the United States in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from the TransUnion Credit Industry Snapshot published in September 2025.

States with the Highest Balances

Washington, D.C. leads the nation with an average balance of $7,684, reflecting high living costs and larger credit lines.

Alaska is in second place at $7,683, a trend often linked to higher prices and fewer local retail banking options. Hawaii ranks third at $7,330. Coastal states like California, New Jersey, and Maryland also show above-average balances, consistent with higher incomes but also higher spending.

States with the Lowest Balances

Wisconsin posts the lowest average balance at $5,206, well below the U.S. average. Iowa and West Virginia follow with balances under $5,500, reflecting more conservative credit usage in these regions.

Many low-debt states also report strong payment behavior, with higher percentages of consumers maintaining positive standing on revolving accounts.

Credit Lines and Consumer Activity

Higher-balance states generally have higher credit lines, such as D.C. at over $34,000 per consumer. Conversely, states with lower average balances often have tighter credit availability, such as Mississippi at just over $19,000.

Despite the variation, more than 80% of consumers in nearly all states have active revolving accounts, showing how widespread credit card use remains.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Cities Americans Are Moving To on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.