California dominates US cities with the highest credit card debt

Seven California cities landed on list of the top 10 with the most credit-card debt in the US, as Americans grapple with record household debt and rising delinquencies nationwide.

An analysis from WalletHub examining 182 of the nation’s largest cities ranked communities based on total and per-capita credit card debt.

Golden State cities dominated list:

• Santa Clarita — No. 1 nationally, with average household credit card debt of $23,714 and roughly $1.8 billion in total balances. WalletHub also noted it ranks first in debt payoff rates, suggesting high balances may reflect higher spending capacity.
• Chula Vista — No. 2, with average debt of $20,778.
• Rancho Cucamonga — No. 5, with $19,619.
• Fontana — No. 7, with $19,316.
• Oxnard — No. 8, with $19,277.
• Moreno Valley — No. 9, with $19,127.
• Santa Ana — No. 10, with $19,094.

Pearl City, Hawaii, New York and Gilbert, Arizona rounded out the rest of list.

Nationally, Americans held $1.35 trillion in credit card debt at the end of the first quarter of 2026, or about $11,000 per household, WalletHub found. 

That figure remains $212 billion below the inflation-adjusted peak seen during the 2008 financial crisis.

Separate data from the New York Fed showed credit card balances dipped by $25 billion to $1.25 trillion in the same period, though balances are still more than 60% higher than five years ago.

At the same time, repayment stress is rising. 

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The share of credit card balances at least 90 days delinquent climbed to 13.1%, up 0.4 percentage points from late 2025 and marking the highest level in 15 years.

The broader debt picture is drawing renewed political scrutiny in California.

Critics argue residents are carrying heavier financial burdens under Gov. Gavin Newsom compared with former Gov. Jerry Brown.

Brown left office in 2019 touting a balanced budget, a multibillion-dollar surplus, and the elimination of California’s so-called “wall of debt.”

Under Newsom, critics point to rising state liabilities and the use of more than $20 billion in borrowing from internal special funds to help close budget gaps.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported total US  household debt surged to an all-time high of $18.8 trillion in the first quarter, driven largely by increases in mortgage and auto loan balances.