Debt is something nobody enjoys. You often feel as though you owe someone money, especially when it is your credit card, a school loan, or another loan you need to pay off. Debt can add up quickly, and most will spend their entire life trying to pay off debt, with few ever getting it fully paid off. You work and work to pay off your debt, but it continues to grow and barely decreases at all. Some are lucky and can pay it off, but it doesn't happen as often as you would think. When it comes to debt in the United States, which cities have seen it increase over the last year, and which cities have seen the most? 

Cities With the Most and Least Debt in the United States

Credit: Victoria Gnatiuk
Credit: Victoria Gnatiuk
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Where you live can play a major role in how much debt you have. The cost of living, the items you need to live on, and how much you make all determine your debt. WalletHub recently released a list of the cities with the most debt to the cities with the least and ranked them by a few categories, such as change in average debt and average debt. It was determined that Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has seen the largest increase in debt, with Anchorage, Alaska, being second, and Laredo, Texas, being third. Of the top 100 cities ranked, Des Moines, Iowa, has the lowest debt, with Newark, New Jersey, being the second lowest, and Madison, Wisconsin, rounding out the bottom three. 

Does Living in Idaho Increase or Decrease Your Debt?

Credit: seb_ra
Credit: seb_ra
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When it comes to living in Idaho, Boise may not be the best place to live unless you can find a way to pay off your debt. According to the list, Boise is ranked fifth when it comes to debt in the United States. They are ranked seventh when it comes to change in average debt, having seen it increase, but they rank 57th when it comes to average debt. It is alarming and not a good trend to see it increasing, but with many moving to the state, the cost of living increasing, and many new businesses being built, it shouldn't be all that surprising. Make sure you are doing your best to not have your credit card bill go up, make sure to make payments on your student loans, continue making your mortgage payments, and over time, the debt should decrease. 

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For more on which cities have seen their debt grow the most, make sure to click the link in the second paragraph above. Living in Boise may have many benefits, but lower debt isn't one of them. 

10 States Adding the Most Unsecured Personal Load Debt

According to WalletHub, these are the ten states that are adding the most unsecured personal loan debt.

"To determine the states adding the most unsecured personal loan debt, we analyzed WalletHub’s proprietary data on consumer debt.
 
Sources: The Data used to create this ranking were collected from the WalletHub database as of January 3, 2024.

Gallery Credit: Kyle Matthews

Causes of Credit Card Debt

Credit Card debt in America sits at a record $986 billion. And 35% of American adults carry some kind of credit card balance. Developing good financial habits, such as budgeting, saving, and understanding credit card terms, can help prevent or manage credit card debt effectively. It's important to note that each individual's situation is unique, and a combination of these factors or other personal circumstances can contribute to credit card debt. Here are some of those factors

Gallery Credit: Dr. T

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