Inflation has put pressure on the wallets, and one of the main culprits, it seems, has been the credit card.
You might be feeling all of this in your day-to-day life: groceries cost more, rent refuses to come down, and even getting a quick cup of coffee feels overpriced. With inflation and interest rates biting hard in 2025, many Americans have resorted to credit cards just to get by. But there lies the trap, and it is a big one.
Now more people are going behind on payments, and not by very little either. And some cities have ended up much harder hit. Sadly for Californians, five cities in that state now rank among the 20 worst in the nation for rising credit card delinquencies.
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Where credit card debt is spiraling
According to LendingTree, Americans now collectively carry way more than $1.18 trillion in credit card debt. And WalletHub’s recent study, analyzing data from the 100 largest U.S. cities, reveals that delinquencies—late or missed payments—are skyrocketing at double-digit rates in many places.
Here’s the list of the 20 most credit card delinquent cities in the U.S. in 2025:
- Fremont, California
- Plano, Texas
- Seattle, Washington
- Spokane, Washington
- Newark, New Jersey
- Santa Ana, California
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Washington, DC
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Los Angeles, California
- Long Beach, California
- Irvine, California
- Aurora, Colorado
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Orlando, Florida
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Do you already discern a pattern? Five cities from California find their way into the list—Fremont, Santa Ana, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Irvine. That’s almost one-fourth of the most delinquent cities in the country.
Why this matters (and what delinquency does)
Being late with your credit card payment one time is bad; missing it on a regular basis is when downhill snowballing starts.
Delinquency ends up in:
- Higher interest rates
- Late fees and penalties
- Damage to your credit score
- Calls from debt collectors
- Lawsuits, even
The harder it is to catch up once a few payments have been missed, the more that is weighing on millions of Americans.
What can you do if you are falling behind
If you live in any of these cities or feel the pinch of debt, consider stopping for a moment and taking a deep breath. There are ways to take back control:
- Financial hardship programs: Some credit card issuers offer temporary relief if you’ve lost a job or are facing an emergency. Ask about lower interest rates or waived fees.
- Debt management plans: Credit counselors (many of them non-profits!) can help you consolidate your debts and negotiate better terms.
- Debt settlement: You will be required to settle for a sum lower than your actual debt; however, some issues accompany this, such as credit problems and tax issues.
- Consolidation loans: If you still have creditworthiness, this could combine your balances into a lower monthly payment.
One last word
If your city is on this list, you sure are not alone, which only means you have to stay very alert. Delinquency in credit card payments is not only a financial issue; it also brings stress with it, which snowballs really quickly.
Start small: pay the minimum until you can. Do not apply for more credit cards to keep afloat. If things start feeling too heavy, have a chat with professionals, such as financial advisors or counselors, before it gets worse.
