MIAMI—Americans are carrying a staggering amount of household debt, including over $1.2 trillion in credit card debt, $1.65 trillion in auto loans, and several hundred billion dollars in personal loans, WalletHub reported.
But it’s not just the size of the debt that’s concerning, but the pace at which it’s growing is also alarming, WalletHub said.
In fact, household debt rose by $28 billion in 2024 alone.
However, some cities are seeing their debt levels rise much faster than others. To identify where consumer debt is increasing the most, WalletHub analyzed proprietary data for 100 of the largest U.S. cities, comparing figures from Q1 to Q2 of 2025.
In-Depth Look At Notable Cities
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Winston-Salem had the biggest overall increase in consumer debt during the second quarter of 2025, and credit card debt showed the most dramatic change. The average credit card balance in Winston-Salem increased by nearly 6% from Q1 2025 to Q2 2025, rising to $9,900. This represents the largest increase in the country, and the fifth-largest final balance.
The average Winston-Salemites' personal loan balance increased by around 3.6% during the same period, reaching $12,160. This was the largest increase in the country, and residents’ average personal loan debt is the seventh-highest among 100 of the largest cities.
In addition, the average auto loan balance in Winston-Salem went up to $23,372 in Q2 2025, increasing by nearly 4%.
“This increase was the highest among the cities in our study, even though the total balance ranks only as the 66th-highest,” Wallethub said.
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage residents had the second-largest increase in consumer debt from Q1 2025 to Q2 2025. The average auto loan balance in Anchorage increased by over 2.9%, the sixth-most among more than 100 of the largest cities. The average balance reached $28,879, the ninth-highest.
When it comes to personal loan debt, Anchorage residents decreased their average balance by nearly 7%, bringing it to $8,001. While the decrease was among the more notable in our study, Anchorage ranked just 34th for change and 63rd for overall balance.
Finally, Anchorage residents’ average credit card balance went up by around 2.4%, reaching $9,099.
“While that percentage increase may seem modest, it ranks as the 10th-highest for credit cards among all cities in our study and the city also holds the 10th-highest average credit card balance overall,” WalletHub said.
Laredo, Texas
Laredo, TX, saw the third-biggest increase in consumer debt from Q1 2025 to Q2 2025. The average auto loan balance in Laredo went up by over 2.4%, the ninth-biggest increase among 100 of the largest cities. That brought the average balance to $34,141, the highest overall.
In addition, the average credit card balance in Laredo increased by nearly 2.2%, the 16th-highest increase in the country. This brought the average credit card balance in the city to $6,208. That’s only the 85th-highest average balance in the country, though.
Similarly, the average personal loan balance in Laredo dropped by 4.1%, falling to $6,347. This represents the 12th-largest change and the 88th-highest average balance.