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america today
A new analysis from WalletHub identifies the cities across the country that are currently repaying the most household debt, amounting to $18.79 trillion.
According to WalletHub, “While mortgages account for the majority of this debt, other sources such as student loans, auto loans, credit cards, and personal loans also contribute significantly to the national total.”
WalletHub reported that in the first quarter of 2026, household debt nationwide decreased by an inflation-adjusted $339 billion. This trend was also seen in the 182 cities analyzed by WalletHub to determine which cities are paying off the most household debt.
“It’s a great sign that the average city resident’s debt has fallen significantly. It shows that people are not only continuing to pay their bills, but also borrowing less,” Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub, said in a news release.
Which states dominated the top 10 rankings?
Three California cities, Santa Clarita, Fremont, and San Jose, saw the largest declines in household debt. Four more California cities made the top 10, bringing the total for the Golden State to seven.
“When it comes to Santa Clarita, Fremont and San Jose… their residents are fairly affluent and credit responsible, so it’s not really surprising that they’re seeing a lot of debt go down,” Lupo said.
However, WalletHub found in its overall analysis that “debt decline rates vary widely by city.”
Here’s WalletHub’s methodology and what the report found about the cities with the most and least household debt.
WalletHub methodology
WalletHub evaluated 182 cities using consumer credit data from TransUnion and the Federal Reserve Board to determine which cities had the greatest and least decreases in household debt from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.
Cities where household debt decreased the most
Below are the cities with the greatest decline in household debt as reported by WalletHub, along with their ranking, household debt, and household debt decline.
- Santa Clarita, California (1): $495,675 | -$9,237
- Fremont, California (2): $392,495 | -$7,314
- San Jose, California (3): $334,349 | -$6,230
- Gilbert, Arizona (4): $295,093 | -$5,499
- Irvine, California (5): $294,075 | -$5,480
- Rancho Cucamonga, California (6): $288,540 | -$5,377
- Huntington Beach, California (7): $286,988 | -$5,348
- Chula Vista, California (8): $286,834 | -$5,345
- Scottsdale, Arizona (9): $283,087 | -$5,275
- Pearl City, Hawaii (10): $278,638 | -$5,192
Cities with the least decline in household debt
Below are the cities with the least decline in household debt as reported by WalletHub, along with their ranking, household debt, and household debt decline.
- Des Moines, Iowa (182): $2,738 | -$51
- Detroit, Michigan (181): $42,657 | -$795
- Cleveland, Ohio (180): $54,258 | -$1,011
- Toledo, Ohio (179): $60,356 | -$1,125
- Newark, New Jersey (178): $63,019 | -$1,174
- Jackson, Mississippi (177): $68,551 | -$1,277
- Memphis, Tennessee (176): $70,589 | -$1,315
- New Haven, CT (175): $72,599 | -$1,353
- Akron, Ohio (174): $73,572 | -$1,371
- Buffalo, New York (173): $73,757 | -$1,374
