Credit Card Debt Statistics (2026)

The numbers

1. Total U.S. credit-card debt: $1.18 trillion

   Highest level on record in nominal terms. Adjusted for inflation, debt is approximately at 2008 levels per capita.

   As of 2026-Q1 · Federal Reserve Bank of New York

2. Average APR on accounts assessed interest: 24.3%

   Up from 16.3% in 2022 due to Fed rate hikes plus widening lender risk premiums.

   As of 2026-Q1 · Federal Reserve

3. Average credit-card balance per consumer: $6,455

   Across 559 million open accounts. Median balance for cardholders carrying a balance is $2,500.

   As of 2025-Q4 · CFPB

4. Average balance, Gen X: $9,165

   Highest of any generation. Boomers average $6,648; Millennials $6,521; Gen Z $3,266.

   As of 2025-Q4 · Experian

5. 90+ day serious delinquency rate: 7.1%

   Highest reading since 2011. Subprime cardholders account for most of the increase.

   As of 2026-Q1 · Federal Reserve Bank of New York

6. Share of cardholders carrying a revolving balance: 47%

   The other 53% pay in full each month and avoid interest entirely.

   As of 2025 · CFPB

7. Average credit limit per consumer: $30,365

   Average utilization rate is 28%. FICO scoring rewards utilization under 30% — and ideally under 10%.

   As of 2025-Q4 · Experian

8. Late-fee revenue: $14.5 billion / year

   The CFPB's $8 late-fee cap rule was struck down in 2024; large issuers still average $32 per late fee.

   As of 2025 · CFPB

9. Rewards cards: 60% of all open accounts

   Of those, 78% are cash-back focused and 22% are travel/points focused.

   As of 2025 · CFPB

10. Average new credit-card APR offered: 21.91%

    Compared to the 24.3% paid on existing balances — new-account APRs reflect promotional and prime-customer pricing.

    As of 2026-Q1 · Federal Reserve

11. Average balance transfer fee: 3.5%

    Of the amount transferred. Most 0% promotional offers run 12–21 months.

    As of 2025 · CFPB

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these numbers seasonally adjusted?

Total debt and delinquency figures from the NY Fed are reported as quarterly snapshots, not seasonally adjusted. APR figures from the G.19 release are end-of-quarter averages.