Statistics · 2026 · Real Estate
Credit Card Debt Statistics (2026)
Americans owed $1.26 trillion on credit cards at the end of June 2026, per the New York Fed, up $21 billion (1.7%) from the first quarter and $54 billion (4.5%) from a year earlier. The average rate on all card accounts was 21.19% in August, per the Federal Reserve, and 12.9% of card balances were 90 or more days delinquent.
Key takeaways
- Credit card balances were $1.26 trillion in 2026 Q2, 4.5% above 2025 Q2 and 36% above the end of 2019.
- The record on the New York Fed series is $1.28 trillion in 2025 Q4; balances fell in the first quarter in 11 of the last 12 years.
- Card users drew 22.7% of their $5.56 trillion in combined limits, a little below 23.8% at the end of 2019.
- The average APR on all card accounts was 21.19% in August 2026, and 22.36% on accounts that paid interest.
- 12.92% of card balances were 90+ days delinquent, down from 13.12% in Q1 but above 8.36% before the pandemic.
How much credit card debt do Americans have?
U.S. credit card balances were $1.26 trillion at the end of June 2026, per the New York Fed. That is $21 billion more than in the first quarter and $54 billion more than a year earlier. Cards made up 6.7% of the $18.8 trillion that households owed.
1. Credit card balances: $1.26 trillion in 2026 Q2
The New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report, 2026 Q2 puts card balances at $1.263 trillion at the end of June 2026. In the report’s words, “credit card balances increased by $21 billion (1.7%)” from the first quarter.
2. Up $54 billion (4.5%) in a year
Balances were $1.209 trillion in 2025 Q2. The gain to $1.263 trillion is 4.5% (WealthyBud arithmetic on the workbook levels). Total household debt, by contrast, slipped 0.1% in the latest quarter.
3. The record is $1.28 trillion, set in 2025 Q4
The highest quarter on the series, which starts in 2003, is 2025 Q4 at $1.277 trillion. Balances then fell to $1.242 trillion in 2026 Q1. First-quarter balances fell from the prior fourth quarter in 11 of the 12 years from 2015 to 2026 (2023 was flat). The Q2 report also revised Q1 card balances.
4. 36% above the end of 2019
Card debt was $0.927 trillion in 2019 Q4 and fell to $0.770 trillion in 2021 Q1, the pandemic-era low. Today’s level is 36% above 2019 and 64% above the 2021 low. These are nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
| Quarter | Card balance | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Q1 | $0.688T | first quarter of the series |
| 2019 Q4 | $0.927T | before the pandemic |
| 2021 Q1 | $0.770T | pandemic low |
| 2025 Q2 | $1.209T | a year earlier |
| 2025 Q4 | $1.277T | series high |
| 2026 Q1 | $1.242T | includes a New York Fed revision |
| 2026 Q2 | $1.263T | latest |
How many credit cards are open, and what is the average balance?
Credit reports showed 653.6 million open card accounts in 2026 Q2, 17.6 million more than a year earlier. Dividing total balances by accounts gives about $1,932 per account. That is an account average, not a per-household or per-borrower figure, because many accounts carry no balance.
5. 653.6 million credit card accounts
The New York Fed counted 653.63 million card accounts on credit reports in 2026 Q2, up from 636.03 million a year earlier and 507.94 million at the end of 2019. Joint accounts are not de-duplicated, so the count is accounts, not people.
6. About $1,932 of debt per open account
Dividing $1.26 trillion by 653.6 million accounts gives roughly $1,932 per account (WealthyBud arithmetic). Many accounts carry no balance at all, so the typical revolving borrower owes more than this simple average.
Accounts and balances are both up since 2019, but balances rose faster: about 36% versus 29% for accounts. The New York Fed reports account counts from the same Consumer Credit Panel, a nationally representative random sample of Equifax credit reports. For the full mix of mortgage, auto and student debt, see household debt statistics.
How much of their credit limits are Americans using?
Combined card limits reached $5.56 trillion in 2026 Q2, up $85 billion in the quarter. Balances of $1.26 trillion used 22.7% of that, by WealthyBud arithmetic, compared with 23.1% a year earlier and 23.8% at the end of 2019. Limits grew faster than balances.
7. Combined card limits: $5.56 trillion
Aggregate credit card limits rose $85 billion in 2026 Q2 to $5.559 trillion, per the workbook, extending a climb from $3.897 trillion at the end of 2019. The 2026 Q2 report (PDF) says limits “continued to rise.”
8. Aggregate utilization: 22.7%
Balances divided by limits equals 22.7% in 2026 Q2, by WealthyBud arithmetic, versus 23.1% in 2025 Q2 and 23.8% in 2019 Q4. That leaves about $4.30 trillion of unused credit. Individual utilization, which drives credit scores, varies widely.
Lenders and scoring models use each borrower’s own balance-to-limit ratio, not this national figure.
What interest rate do credit cards charge in 2026?
Commercial banks charged an average 21.19% on all credit card accounts in August 2026 and 22.36% on accounts that were assessed interest, per the Federal Reserve G.19 release. The all-accounts average was 14.60% in 2021, so the typical card rate is now about 6.6 points higher.
9. Average card APR: 21.19% (all accounts)
The Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit release (October 7, 2026) lists 21.19% as the commercial-bank interest rate on credit card plans, all accounts, for August 2026, little changed from 21.22% for 2025 as a whole.
10. 22.36% on accounts that pay interest
Accounts assessed interest averaged 22.36% in August 2026. On the $1,932 average account balance, that rate implies roughly $432 of interest over a year if the balance stayed level (WealthyBud arithmetic, illustrative).
11. Card rates are up from 14.60% in 2021
The all-accounts average was 14.60% in 2021, 16.26% in 2022 and 20.90% in 2023, then 21.58% in 2024. The annual average has been above 20% every year since 2023 on the G.19 series.
| Period | All accounts | Accounts assessed interest |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14.60% | 16.45% |
| 2022 | 16.26% | see G.19 |
| 2023 | 20.90% | see G.19 |
| 2024 | 21.58% | see G.19 |
| 2025 | 21.22% | 22.32% |
| August 2026 | 21.19% | 22.36% |
How many cardholders are falling behind?
12.92% of credit card balances were 90 or more days delinquent in 2026 Q2, per the New York Fed, down from 13.12% in Q1. Over the past year, 6.97% of card balances moved into serious delinquency, against 5.32% in 2019.
12. 12.92% of card balances are 90+ days late
The New York Fed share of card balances 90 or more days delinquent was 12.92% in 2026 Q2, after 13.12% in Q1. The series high is 13.74% in 2010 Q2; the recent low was 7.98% in 2022 Q2.
13. 6.97% of balances moved into serious delinquency
Over the four quarters to 2026 Q2, 6.97% of card balances became 90+ days delinquent, down from 7.18% two years earlier but above 5.32% in 2019. The report says early-delinquency transitions were “largely steady for credit cards.”
14. Bank card delinquency rate: 2.85%
A separate Federal Reserve series for card loans at all commercial banks (FRED DRCCLACBS) shows a 2.85% delinquency rate in 2026 Q2, down from 3.22% in 2024 Q2. Its record is 6.77% in 2009 Q2.
15. Card charge-offs: 3.82% annualized
Banks wrote off card loans at a 3.82% annualized rate in 2026 Q2 (FRED CORCCACBS), down from 4.56% in 2024 Q2 and close to 3.78% in 2019 Q4. The 2009 Q4 peak was 10.54%.
| Measure | 2019 Q4 | 2025 Q2 | 2026 Q2 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card balances 90+ days delinquent | 8.36% | 12.27% | 12.92% | NY Fed CCP/Equifax |
| Balances moving into 30+ day delinquency (past year) | 6.95% | 8.58% | 8.69% | NY Fed CCP/Equifax |
| Balances moving into 90+ day delinquency (past year) | 5.32% | 6.93% | 6.97% | NY Fed CCP/Equifax |
| Bank card delinquency rate (30+ days, SA) | 2.61% | 3.04% | 2.85% | Federal Reserve via FRED |
| Bank card charge-off rate (annualized, SA) | 3.78% | 4.19% | 3.82% | Federal Reserve via FRED |
The two delinquency sources measure different things. The New York Fed counts balances on credit reports, including cards from credit unions and card companies, and reports the share 90+ days late. The Federal Reserve bank series covers card loans held by commercial banks and counts loans 30 or more days past due or in nonaccrual status. The two rates are not directly comparable.
Which age groups hold the most card debt?
Borrowers aged 40 to 49 hold the most card debt, $295 billion in 2026 Q2. Borrowers under 30 hold $81 billion, 6.4% of the total, yet 10.1% of their card balances moved into serious delinquency over the past year, the highest rate of any age group.
16. Ages 40-49 hold $295 billion of card debt
By New York Fed age group, borrowers aged 40-49 carried the largest card balance in 2026 Q2, $295 billion, followed by ages 50–59 at $280 billion. Borrowers 70 and older held $167 billion.
17. Under-30s: 10.1% moved into serious delinquency
Over the year to 2026 Q2, 10.1% of card balances held by borrowers aged 18–29 became 90+ days delinquent, about twice the 5.0% rate for ages 60–69. Ages 30–39 were at 8.3%.
| Age | Card balance | Share of balances | Moved into 90+ delinquency, past year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | $81 billion | 6.4% | 10.1% |
| 30-39 | $222 billion | 17.6% | 8.3% |
| 40-49 | $295 billion | 23.4% | 7.6% |
| 50-59 | $280 billion | 22.2% | 6.4% |
| 60-69 | $217 billion | 17.2% | 5.0% |
| 70+ | $167 billion | 13.2% | 6.3% |
What this means for investors and homebuyers
Card debt costs about 2.9 times the current 30-year mortgage rate, so revolving balances weigh on mortgage approvals and cash flow. Lenders count card minimum payments in debt-to-income ratios, and late payments lower credit scores, which raises the rate a buyer gets.
18. Card APRs are about 2.9x the 30-year mortgage rate
The August 2026 card average of 21.19% compares with a 7.40% 30-year fixed mortgage rate in the week of October 8, 2026 (Freddie Mac 30-year rate (FRED MORTGAGE30US)). Paying down a card balance earns a guaranteed return near the card rate.
19. Revolving credit: $1,352.4 billion in August 2026
The G.19 release puts seasonally adjusted revolving credit, mostly credit card balances, at $1,352.4 billion in August 2026. It fell at a 4.2% annual rate that month, after reaching $1,324.3 billion at the end of 2025.
- Mortgage underwriters add the minimum card payment to monthly debts, so a large balance can shrink the loan amount a buyer qualifies for.
- Late card payments lower credit scores, and a lower score usually means a higher mortgage rate or a larger down payment.
- Rental investors who fund repairs on cards at rates above 20% need returns well above a typical cap rate to break even.
For the cost of the mortgage itself, see mortgage rate statistics. For stress further along the credit cycle, see foreclosure statistics, and compare metro affordability on income needed to buy a home.
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