California Cities Lead in Credit Card Debt Amid Rising Financial Struggles

As household debt hits record highs and delinquencies rise across the nation, seven cities in California have found themselves among the top 10 in the country for credit card debt.

Recent data from WalletHub analyzed 182 of America’s largest cities, ranking them according to total credit card debt as well as debt per person.

The list is dominated by cities from the Golden State.

• Santa Clarita tops the list, with average household credit card debt at $23,714 and nearly $1.8 billion in total balances. Interestingly, WalletHub also ranked it highest for debt service rates, which may suggest that residents have more spending power.
• Chula Vista comes in second, averaging $20,778 in debt.
• Rancho Cucamonga is fifth, with average debt of $19,619.
• Fontana takes seventh place, averaging $19,316.
• Oxnard is eighth, averaging $19,277.
• Moreno Valley ranks ninth, with $19,127 in average debt.
• Santa Ana rounds out the list at tenth, with average debt of $19,094.

Pearl City in Hawaii, New York, and Gilbert in Arizona also feature on the list.

The research indicates that nationwide, Americans carried a staggering $1.4 trillion in credit card debt at the end of the first quarter of 2026, averaging around $11,000 per household.

This figure, however, is still about $212 billion less than what was seen during the peak of the 2008 financial crisis when adjusting for inflation.

Separately, data from the New York Federal Reserve revealed a drop of $25 billion in credit card balances during the same timeframe, bringing the total to $1.3 trillion. Still, this amount is over 60% higher than it was five years ago.

Alongside these trends, repayment pressures are increasing.

The percentage of credit card balances overdue by at least 90 days has risen to 13.1%, marking a 0.4-point increase from late 2025 and the highest level in 15 years.

In California, the broader debt situation is under growing scrutiny. Some critics argue that residents are facing a heavier financial burden now under Governor Gavin Newsom compared to the administration of former Governor Jerry Brown.

Brown, who left office in 2019, advocated for a balanced budget and budget surpluses while trying to address California’s rising debt issues. Under Newsom, there have been concerns about increasing national debt and more than $20 billion borrowed from special internal funds to address budget shortfalls.

Additionally, the New York Fed noted that total U.S. household debt surged to a record $18.8 trillion in the first quarter, largely driven by rising mortgage and auto loan balances.