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FILE-A woman looks at a utility bill. (Photo by David Potter/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)

Carrying debt can be overwhelming, especially when you’re seeking ways to pay it off. 

Household debt comes in many forms, with most Americans accumulating it through credit cards, auto loans and personal loans.

The size of debt is one problem, but the pace at which it’s growing is another, and Americans in some cities are enduring rising debt levels much faster than others, based on data in WalletHub’s recent report. 

To pinpoint which areas are seeing accelerated consumer debt the most, WalletHub evaluated data for 100 of the largest cities comparing statistics from the first and second quarters of 2025.

Cities carrying the most debt

Why you should care:

WalletHub compared 100 U.S. cities across two key categories: Change in average debt and average debt using the company’s data on credit cards, auto loans and personal debt. The cities were graded on a 100-point scale. 

Winston-Salem, North CarolinaAnchorage, AlaskaLaredo, TexasRiverside, CaliforniaBoise, IdahoScottsdale, ArizonaWashington, D.C.Fort Wayne, IndianaSan AntonioGlendale, Arizona What researchers are saying about the top cities carrying the most debt

Dig deeper:

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Anchorage, Alaska, and Laredo, Texas were ranked as the top three areas carrying the most debt and here’s what researchers detailed in the study.

Winston-Salem, NC

According to WalletHub, Winston-Salem, North Carolina had the largest overall increase in consumer debt during the second quarter of 2025, and credit card debt revealed a notable change. The study found that the average credit card balance in the area grew by almost 6% from the first quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2025, rising to $9,900. 

The study noted that the average personal loan balance rose by 3.6% during the same period, reaching $12,160. Researchers explained in their data that this was the largest increase in the country, and residents’ average personal loan debt is the seventh highest among 100 of the largest cities. Moreover, the auto loan balance in Winston-Salem soared to $23,372 in the second quarter of 2025, increasing by about 4%. 

Anchorage, AK

Anchorage, Alaska had the second-largest increase in consumer debt, with the average auto loan balance in the city increasing by more than 2.9%. WalletHub noted that the average balance rose $28,879.

Personal loan debt for Anchorage residents fell almost 7%, bringing it to $8,001. Meanwhile, the average credit card balance in the area went up by 2.4%, climbing to $9,099, which ranks as the 10th-highest for credit cards among all cities in our study.

Laredo, TX

WalletHub reported that Laredo, Texas ranks third on the list with the average auto loan balance in the city climbing to more than 2.4%. According to the study, the average credit card balance in the city surged by almost 2.2%, bringing the average credit card balance to $6,208. Separately, the average personal loan balance in Laredo fell by 4.1% to $6,347.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by WalletHub, which compared 100 U.S. cities across two key categories: Change in average debt and average debt using the company’s data on credit cards, auto loans and personal debt. The cities were graded on a 100-point scale. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. 

 

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