Ashamed of Credit Card Debt? Don’t Be. NJ Has the Highest in America

If you have a scary-looking credit card balance sitting on your kitchen counter, you might be feel ashamed and embarrassed about it.

Don’t. At least try not to.

You’re in New Jersey, where sadly this is normal. And not because you’re irresponsible.

According to a report on northjersey.com, a new LendingTree analysis shows New Jersey residents have the highest average credit card debt in the country. The average Garden State cardholder with credit card debt owes a whopping $9,733.

That’s not exactly the kind of ranking you want to brag about, and it’s not particularly close.

A blue and red gradient debit card resting on a dark laptop keyboard

Connecticut is second with an average of $9,645, followed by Washington, D.C. at $9,511 and California at $9,421.

The national average is $7,756, meaning New Jersey’s average is nearly $2,000 higher.

And our average balance actually went up. New Jersey’s $9,733 average represents a 4.1% increase from the $9,346 average recorded a year earlier.

person holding black android smartphone

Of course, there’s a pretty obvious question: Why?

LendingTree doesn’t suggest that New Jersey residents are simply running around maxing out their cards on unnecessary purchases.

The cost of living here is among the highest in the country, and when everything from housing to groceries to just about anything else costs more, credit cards can become the financial emergency exit.

And the problem isn’t limited to New Jersey. Americans collectively had $1.263 trillion in credit card debt during the second quarter of 2026.

a person holding a credit card in their hand

So if you’ve got a balance you’re struggling to pay down, take some comfort in knowing you’re certainly not alone.

In fact, if you live in New Jersey, you’re apparently part of the national championship team.

We just have to figure out how to stop winning.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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