Americans owe a record $1.35 trillion in credit card debt, with the cities with the highest debt loads also tending to have strong financial indicators, according to a WalletHub analysis of federal and consumer credit data.

The $23,714 Credit Card Tab

Santa Clarita,California, has the highest average household credit card debt in the nation, with residents carrying an average balance of $23,714, according to WalletHub. Combined, households in the city owe nearly $1.8 billion in credit card debt.

The high balances appear to be offset by strong financial indicators. Santa Clarita ranked first among more than 180 cities for household debt repayment during the first quarter of 2026 and has a median income well above the national average, suggesting many residents have the means to manage larger credit lines and pay down debt.

Chula Vista's $20,778 Debt Load

Chula Vista, California, ranked second nationwide, with average household credit card debt totaling $20,778. Residents collectively owe about $1.8 billion in credit card balances.

Like Santa Clarita, Chula Vista benefits from relatively strong household finances... Residents paid off the eighth-highest amount of household debt during the first quarter of 2026, while the city posted a low share of financially distressed consumers.

A Tale of Two Cities

The cities with the highest debt loads also tend to have high median incomes, high debt payoff rates, and low delinquency rates, according to WalletHub analyst John Kiernan. This suggests that residents may simply have high credit card limits and can afford to borrow more.

What Auditors Flagged

WalletHub analyzed 182 large U.S. cities using the latest consumer finance data from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve, adjusted for inflation. the cities were then ranked based on average household credit card debt to identify where residents carry the highest and lowest balances.

The story is based on a WalletHub analysis of inflation-adjusted consumer finance data from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve. This story was reported from Los Angeles.