The Most and Least Debt-Ridden Places

As the cost of living continues to rise, Americans are taking on more debt than ever. According to the latest LendingTree study, the average non-mortgage debt across the 50 largest U.S. metros is $39,713 — which may leave many struggling to stay afloat financially.

Keep reading to find out which metros have the highest and lowest debt burdens and which types of debt are most prevalent.

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Key findings

• The average non-mortgage debt among residents of the 50 largest U.S. metros is $39,713. This includes auto loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans and other types of debt excluding mortgages. Across the 50 metros, auto loan debt is the highest at an average of $13,718, ahead of student loans ($11,661), credit cards ($7,789) and personal loans ($5,411).
• On average across the 50 metros, 98.1% of residents have non-mortgage debt. 89.8% of residents in the 50 metros have credit card debt, which accounts for 20.2% of non-mortgage debt. While just 51.0% of the same residents have auto debt, it accounts for 33.3% of the non-mortgage debt.
• Atlanta is the most debt-ridden metro among the 50 largest, with residents owing an average of $45,891 in non-mortgage debt. The next most debt-ridden metros are Dallas ($45,541) and Washington, D.C. ($45,337). D.C. and Atlanta residents have the third- and fourth-highest student loan debt totals — $16,107 and $15,819, respectively — while Dallas has the third-highest auto loan debt total ($16,644).
• San Jose, Calif., is the least debt-ridden metro among the 50 largest, with residents owning an average of $32,260 in non-mortgage debt. The next least debt-ridden metros are Sacramento, Calif. ($32,604), and Minneapolis ($34,776). Sacramento and San Jose have the smallest student debt totals at $7,028 and $7,323, respectively, while Minneapolis has the second-lowest auto debt total at $10,602.
• Auto debt is the largest non-mortgage debt in 34 of the 50 metros. The highest average auto debt is in San Antonio, at $18,248 — 81.8% more than the average auto balance in New York ($10,037), which ranked last for that debt type. Student debt is the largest non-mortgage debt in the 16 other metros.

The average non-mortgage debt in the 50 largest metros is $39,713

Living in a large metro often comes at a cost, particularly during high inflation periods. In fact, the average non-mortgage debt (auto loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans and other types of debt excluding mortgages) among residents of the 50 largest U.S. metros is $39,713.

While that’s a significant amount, LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz expected non-mortgage debt to be much higher.

Possibly due to these high car prices, auto loan debt is the highest among the 50 largest metros, with residents in these areas owing an average of $13,718. That’s followed by student loans ($11,661), credit cards ($7,789) and personal loans ($5,411).

It’s also worth noting that almost all (98.1%) residents in the largest 50 metros carry non-mortgage debt. Credit card debt is the most common type of non-mortgage debt, with 89.8% of residents in these areas owing money on their credit cards. Still, balances are on the low end compared to other forms of debt — credit card debt accounts for 20.2% of non-mortgage debt.

Meanwhile, auto loans account for 33.3% of the non-mortgage debt, despite only 51.0% of the same residents having auto debt. Following that:

• 34.2% of residents have personal loans, accounting for 13.6% of non-mortgage debt.
• 25.6% of residents have student loans, accounting for 30.2% of non-mortgage debt.

Consumers owe the most debt in Atlanta

When it comes to the metros with the most non-mortgage debt, look no further than the Hollywood of the South. In Atlanta, residents owe an average of $45,891 in non-mortgage debt — ranking it first.

“Atlanta has a lower-than-average income compared to other big American cities, and Georgia has historically had some of the lowest credit scores in the nation (in Atlanta, the average credit score is 675),” Schulz says. “That less-than-stellar credit means that when you do get a loan, you’re probably not going to get the best terms, so that new car you want to buy may be even more expensive than you thought.”

Dallas follows, with residents owing an average of $45,541. Washington, D.C., ranks third — here, residents owe an average of $45,337. Texas (and, more specifically, Dallas) has similar credit score struggles: In Dallas, the average credit score is 688. Meanwhile, high cost of living could play a role in D.C. — in another LendingTree study on where you can earn six figures and still be broke, the district ranked ninth. Here, a family of three earning $100,000 annually could have a monthly deficit of $532 after paying for basic expenses.

Metros with the most non-mortgage debt

Source: LendingTree analysis of 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023.

What types of debt are most prominent in these metros? For D.C. and Atlanta, it’s student loan debt. Residents in these two metros have the third- and fourth-highest student loan debt totals, at $16,107 and $15,819, respectively. Meanwhile, Dallas has the third-highest auto loan debt total, with residents owing an average of $16,644 on their vehicles.

Consumers owe the least debt in San Jose, Calif.

On the other end of the list, San Jose, Calif., is the least debt-ridden metro among the 50 largest — residents in this part of the Golden State owe an average of $32,260 in non-mortgage debt. Another California metro — Sacramento — ranks second, with residents owing $32,604. Minneapolis ($34,776), ranks third.

According to Schulz, income may play a role here.

Credit scores could also play a role in lower debt totals in San Jose. In fact, residents in San Jose have an average credit score of 717. Meanwhile, the average credit scores in Sacramento and Minneapolis are 700 and 697, respectively.

Metros with the least non-mortgage debt

Source: LendingTree analysis of 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023.

In these metros, some types of debt are particularly light. More specifically, San Jose and Sacramento have the smallest student debt totals at $7,028 and $7,323, respectively. Meanwhile, Minneapolis has the second-lowest auto debt total at $10,602.

Full rankings: Metros with the most/least non-mortgage debt

Source: LendingTree analysis of 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023.

Auto loan debt is highest in the majority of the largest U.S. metros

If the cars we drive say a lot about who we are, ours might say this: Americans owe a lot of auto debt. In fact, auto debt is the largest non-mortgage debt in 34 of the 50 metros.

“It makes sense, given the craziness of the auto market in recent years, but it’s still eye-opening,” Schulz says. “Federal data has shown that student debt has been greater than auto debt for more than a decade and remained that way nationally through the end of 2022. However, that gap has closed incredibly quickly in the past few years, so it’s certainly possible that auto debt will have overtaken student debt when new data comes out.”

When it comes to which metro carries the biggest auto debt, San Antonio ranks highest. Residents here owe $18,248 in auto debt — 81.8% more than the $10,037 auto balance in lowest-ranked New York.

Metros with the highest average auto debts

Source: LendingTree analysis of 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023.

Still, student debt isn’t far behind — in fact, student debt is the largest non-mortgage debt in the 16 other tracked metros. By metro, Raleigh, N.C., has the highest student loan debt, at an average of $16,691. That’s followed by Memphis, Tenn. ($16,166), and Washington, D.C. ($16,107).

Full rankings: Metros with the highest/lowest auto loan debt

Source: LendingTree analysis of 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023.

Dealing with debt during inflation: Expert tips

Having a significant amount of debt can be incredibly stressful — particularly if you live in a large metro with a high cost of living. However, paying down your debt is certainly possible, even with inflation as high as it is.

For those dealing with debt, Schulz recommends the following:

• Put money away while you’re paying down your debt. “Yes, it’s easier said than done,” he says. “Yes, it means it will take longer and cost you a little bit more to pay off that debt. Yes, you may only be able to save a few dollars at a time. It’s still worth it. Building up your savings is the key to breaking the cycle of debt that traps so many people. If you don’t have any savings once you’ve paid off your debt, the next unexpected expense will have to go on your credit card and you’ll be right back in debt. Having some savings can help you avoid that.”
• Reassess your budget. “If you haven’t done this in several months, it may no longer accurately represent your financial situation,” Schulz says. “Many of the assumptions in your budget may have been blown out of the water by inflation. The truth is you can’t make a meaningful plan to attack credit card debt without knowing how much is coming in and going out of your household each month. A good budget can help you do just that.”
• Consider consolidating to lower your interest rates. “Interest rates are through the roof these days,” he says. “That’s no secret. The good news is you can take steps to get those rates in line. One of your best moves is to consolidate those debts. A 0% balance transfer credit card can be one great option, though you’ll likely need good credit to get one. A low-interest personal loan can also do the job, though you won’t find 0% offers with these. It isn’t just about lowering rates, though. These loans can knock some things off your to-do list by reducing the number of payments you have to worry about each month.”

Methodology

LendingTree researchers analyzed sample data of about 75,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users from January, February and March 2023 to calculate average balances for non-mortgage debt.

Non-mortgage debt includes auto loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans and other types of debt excluding mortgages.

The results were aggregated to the 50 most populous metros from U.S. Census Bureau data.