Average Credit Card Debt Barely Increases 0.6% to $6,659 in 2026

Total Credit Card Debt Increases 5.4% to $1.25T in 2026

The total balance of U.S. consumer credit card debt grew by $66 billion to nearly $1.25 trillion in 2026. The 5.4% jump is more pronounced than the recent rate of inflation, meaning some consumers are revolving additional debt above and beyond adjusting for the cost of living. That total balance growth syncs with recent evidence suggesting consumers are being increasingly squeezed by higher costs.

Source: Experian data from March of each year

There are more than 636 million credit card accounts in the U.S. as of March 2026. The 4.4% annual increase in the number of credit card accounts is slightly larger than prior years, perhaps attributable to more members of Generation Z newly qualifying for, receiving and using credit.

Source: Experian data from March of each year

Average Credit Card Balance Increased by 0.6% to $6,659

The average credit card balance among consumers was $6,659 as of March 2026, up $41 from the prior year's average of $6,618. The small increase is the news here: After years of average credit card balances growing with or outpacing inflation, consumers seemed to have hit a limit at which they'll stop continuing to carry additional credit card debt.

Source: Experian data from March of each year

As shown below, even larger averages are found in higher-cost and higher-income states like California, Connecticut, Texas and Virginia.

Average Credit Card Balances Decline in Nearly Half of U.S. States in 2026

Additionally, apart from a handful of states, average FICO^® Scores^Θ have generally been declining across the U.S. That suggests consumers have broadly faced more adversity when it comes to managing their credit, whether by using too much of their available credit limits or missing credit card payments altogether.

Average Credit Card Balance by State

Source: Experian data from March of each year

In most metros, if average credit card balances declined, then so did average FICO^® Scores in that metro (Milwaukee is an exception). A stark example is Lakeland, Florida, where average credit card balances declined 0.6% as the average FICO^® Score there fell five points, to 681 as of March 2026. This runs counter to the idea that reducing credit card balances usually helps credit scores, indicating other credit issues may be afoot.

Learn more: What Is a Good Credit Score?

Average Credit Card Balances, 100 Largest Metros

Source: Experian data from March 2026

Average Credit Card Utilization Level at 28%

The average credit card utilization ratio among consumer credit cards remained at 28% in March 2026. For most of the past decade, post-holiday credit card utilization has topped out at around 28%, except for two years following the pandemic, when consumption was restrained by the partial closing of the economy.

Incidentally, the first three months of the year are when consumers pay down debt accumulated during the holidays. Experian routinely observes credit card utilization fall in the spring from higher levels in December each year.

Learn more: How to Calculate Credit Card Utilization

Average Credit Card Utilization Ratio in the U.S., 2018-2026

Observing credit card utilization will be especially important in the coming months, as more consumers increasingly reach for credit cards to make purchases for increasingly expensive groceries and fuel costs. Gas prices were a major cause behind the most recent spike in inflation, to 3.8% in March 2026, the highest reading in three years.

Many lenders aren't likely to increase credit limits further, and limit hikes that are issued probably won't be enough to keep up with current inflation rates. One benefit of higher limits, however, is they would allow consumers to carry somewhat larger balances with less impact on credit scores. Any further increase in average credit utilization ratios would likely coincide with lower average credit scores.

In general, lower credit utilization tends to have a more positive impact on your credit scores than higher utilization. While keeping your credit utilization below 30% can help you avoid more significant damage to your FICO^® Score, maintaining a ratio under 10% is generally best for maximizing your scores.

That said, credit utilization is only one piece of the puzzle. Payment history is the most important factor in your FICO^® Score. Other elements, like the length of your credit history and recent credit applications, play a less significant role in determining your FICO^® Score.

Source: Experian data from March 2026

Looking at utilization by state, lower credit utilization ratios generally correspond with higher FICO^® Scores. Most states with average credit card utilization below 30% have average FICO^® Scores of 720 or higher. In contrast, states where average utilization exceeds 30% tend to have lower average FICO^® Scores and, likely, higher average APRs.

Average Credit Card Utilization by State

Gen Z Growing Card Balances Fastest as More Obtain Credit

In 2026 the youngest consumers came into their own as Generation Z (ages 18 to 29) accounted for the largest jump in credit card spending in percentage terms. They're extended less credit than other generations—observable in their higher credit card utilization despite carrying relative low average balances.

Meanwhile, Generation X has the highest average balance as has become the norm for that generation, with average credit card balances approaching $10,000.

Source: Experian data from March 2026; ages as of 2026

Credit Cards in 2026: The Song Remains the Same?

The past year hasn't cleared up what was already an adverse environment for most consumers, especially those who rely on credit cards as their primary form of credit.

Interest rates have been ratcheted upwards in recent years, to start. Even though the prime rate (the base rate for the vast majority of credit cards in the U.S.) is only 1 percentage point higher than in 2019, the average credit card APR today is 21%, 4 percentage points higher than in 2019. So yes, consumers are paying much more to borrow money via credit cards than in similar recent rate environments.

Aside from interest rates, affordability is forcing more consumers into uncomfortable choices about spending. And just like last year, your local hamburger joint may be the bellwether that shows if consumers are pulling back on spending. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that fast-food spending has fallen as "food outside of home" costs continue to increase.

So as 2026 continues, the consumer is stressed, at least enough to begin to appear in data that shows more adverse experiences: lower credit scores, higher delinquency rates and less discretionary income to keep up with higher prices.

More importantly, consumers are saying themselves that they're feeling worse about their economic footing: Surveys from both the Conference Board and University of Michigan show consumer sentiment hitting multi-decade lows in 2026. Even if you suspect consumers are saying one thing while continuing to spend, it's clear that continued stress may lead to more financial stress and in turn impact the broad economy.