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It may seem like every other piece of mail you get is a “You’re approved!” letter from a credit card company or the option to finance anything, which is just so tempting. Want that new Peloton bike? Well, it could be yours for just $39 a month! While this may seem like a good deal, it’s easy to find yourself spending too much, sinking into a bit of debt (or a lot), and having way too many credit cards.
Spending on credit cards is easy by design. All it takes is a swipe, and that shiny new toy is yours. If this sounds all too relatable, you’re not alone. During the second quarter of 2023, credit card balances in the U.S. increased by $45 billion, a 4.6% quarterly increase, and now stand at $1.03 trillion, according to the “Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit,”¹ released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
That may seem like a substantial increase, but credit card balances are actually $71 billion lower than at the end of 2019. As of 2022, the average American carries $5,910 in credit card debt, increasing 13.2%, according to data from Experian’s “Average Credit Card Balances up 13.2% to $5,910 in 2022” report.²
Keep reading to find out more credit card facts and statistics, including credit card spending statistics, average credit card debt, spending habits when it comes to cash vs. credit cards, what banks look at when issuing credit cards, how to get a credit card, and frequently asked questions.
13 Quick Credit Facts and Statistics
The average number of credit cards per person in the U.S. is 3.8.⁴
Gen Z holds the lowest average number of credit cards at 2.1.⁴
Adults with an income under $100,000 who have credit cards are more likely to use them to carry balances from month to month.³
87% of white adults, 92% of Asian adults, 71% of Black adults, and 73% of Hispanic adults have credit cards.³
There are credit card issuers and credit card networks. A credit card issuer is a financial institution that gives you a credit card. A credit card network is a company that provides a communication system between a merchant and an issuer.
Credit card networks include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
The 7 largest credit card issuers generated $4.149 trillion in purchase volume in 2022, up 19.1%. They accounted for 76.1% of the industry’s $5.452-trillion total.⁵
Studies show that shoppers with credit cards are willing to spend more on items, check out with bigger baskets, and focus on and remember more product benefits rather than costs.¹⁵
The average credit card debt per household is $10,170.⁶
Credit card debt was the most widely held type of debt as of 2022.⁷
Americans in the 90-100k income range had an average credit card debt of $12,600.⁸
Credit cards as a form of payment have increased since 2016, increasing from 27% of payments in 2020 to 31% of payments in 2022.⁹
Credit cards remain the most frequently used form of payment, accounting for a 31% share of payments.⁹
U.S. Credit Card Statistics by Generation, Income, and Ethnicity
1. The average American holds 3 credit cards.
According to the “Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2022,”³ 82% of adults had a credit card in 2022. The average number of credit cards held is 3.8.⁴
2. Gen Z holds the lowest average number of credit cards.
Baby boomers hold the highest average number of credit cards at 4.6, and Gen Z holds the lowest average number of credit cards at 2.1.⁴
3. Adults with an income under $100,000 who have credit cards are more likely to use them to carry balances from month to month.
When you break down credit card ownership by income, the results are interesting. Most people with an income of over $100,000 have a credit card. Adults with an income under $100,000 who have credit cards are more likely to use them to carry balances from month to month.³
4. 87% of white adults, 92% of Asian adults, 71% of Black adults, and 73% of Hispanic adults have credit cards.
Credit card usage also varies by race and ethnicity. 87% of white adults have a credit card, and 42% of those credit card users have carried over a balance at least once in the past year. Over 90% of Asian adults have a credit card, but just 2.7 in 10 Asian adults have carried a balance at least once in the past year. Meanwhile, Black and Hispanic adults were more likely to carry balances on their credit cards than other racial or ethnic groups. Of the 71% of Black adults holding credit cards, over 70% have carried a balance at least once in the past year. 73% of Hispanic adults hold credit cards, and 62% have carried a balance at least once in the last year.³
Image Credit: Upgraded Points
You also see a slight difference in credit card debt by race. White cardholders have $7,942 in credit card debt, Asian cardholders carry $7,660 in credit card debt, Hispanic cardholders have $6,849, and Black cardholders have $6,172 in credit card debt.⁸
The Difference Between a Credit Card Issuer and a Network
5. What is the difference between a credit card issuer and a credit card network?
While there are many credit card issuers, there are only a select few credit card networks. So, what exactly is the difference between a credit card issuer and a credit card network?
A credit card issuer is a financial institution that gives you a credit card. For example, Chase, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and Bank of America are all credit card issuers. A credit card network is a company that provides a communication system between a merchant and an issuer in order to complete a credit card transaction.¹⁰ Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are credit card networks.
6. Credit card networks include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
Some credit card networks are more popular than others. When looking at the number of cards circulating for each network in the U.S. at the end of 2022, the difference is ostensible.
Visa: 369 million credit cards in circulation¹¹
Mastercard: 306 million credit cards in circulation¹²
Discover: 61 million credit cards in circulation¹³
American Express: 56.6 million credit cards in circulation¹⁴
Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Credit Card Spending Habits in the U.S.
7. The 7 largest credit card issuers generated $4.149 trillion in purchase volume in 2022, up 19.1%. They accounted for 76.1% of the industry’s $5.452-trillion total.
According to the 2023 Nilson Report,⁵ the breakdown of purchase volume from the top issuers of general-purpose credit cards in the U.S. is below:
Chase: $1.143 billion
American Express: $1.027 billion
Citi:$563 billion
Capital One: $535 billion
Bank of America: $481 billion
Discover: $211 billion
U.S. Bank: $191 billion
Image Credit: Upgraded Points
8. Studies show that shoppers with credit cards will spend more on items, check out with bigger baskets, and focus on and remember more product benefits rather than costs.
Credit cards are an easy scapegoat when overspending occurs and might actually be the right source of blame. According to the “Neural Mechanisms of Credit Card Spending” report,¹⁵ studies show that shoppers with credit cards will spend more on items, check out with bigger baskets, focus on and remember more product benefits rather than costs, and make more indulgent and unplanned purchase choices.
9. The average credit card debt per household is $10,170.
The average credit card debt per household in the U.S. is $10,170, as of Q2 2023, according to Wallethub.⁶
10. Credit card debt was the most widely held type of debt as of 2022.
The New York Fed also reported that credit card debt was the most widely held type of debt as of 2022. In fact, as of the end of 2022, Americans owed an all-time high of $986 billion on credit cards, which was a $130 billion increase over 2021.⁷
11. Americans in the 90th to 100th annual income percentile had an average credit card debt of $12,600.
When broken down by household income, it may come as no surprise that the higher the household income, the greater the credit card debt. Americans making in the 90-100k annual income range had an average credit card debt of $12,600.⁶
Cash vs. Credit Cards
12. Credit cards as a form of payment have increased since 2016, from 27% of payments in 2020 to 31% in 2022.
According to the “2023 Findings From the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice,”⁹ a survey by the Federal Reserve, cash’s share of all payments in 2022 remained consistent with 2020 at 18%. Credit cards as a form of payment have increased since 2016, from 27% in 2020 to 31% in 2022. This could be because the pandemic fundamentally changed shopping habits, resulting in shoppers doing most of their shopping online or using credit cards as a way to have less contact with others.
13. Credit cards remain the most frequently used payment type, accounting for a 31% share of payments.
Credit card usage stays consistent with early pandemic behavior at 31% of all payments. Cash, debit card, and mobile payment usage also remain consistent with 2020 levels, suggesting a permanent shift away from cash usage. This is a significant shift from pre-pandemic levels (2019), where cash and debit card usage were the highest at 26% and 30%, respectively.
Final Thoughts
Based on the above credit card facts, it doesn’t seem like credit card spending or debt is going away soon. If you are considering putting that large purchase amount on your credit card for the points or thinking about opening a new credit card to make a balance transfer, remember these are still things you will need to pay off. If not paid off in full every month, you will incur a hefty interest charge. Consider all the facts listed above before getting into unneeded debt.
References
¹ Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (2023 August). Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/interactives/householdcredit/data/pdf/HHDC_2023Q2 ² Horymski, C. (2023, March 27). Average Credit Card Balances up 13.2% to $5,910 in 2022. Experian. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/state-of-credit-cards/ ³ The Federal Reserve. (2023, June 2). Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2022 – May 2023. https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2023-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2022-banking-credit.htm ⁴ DiFurio, D. (2022, September 13). How Credit Card Usage Differs by Generation. Experian. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-credit-card-usage-differs-by-generation/ ⁵ Nilson Report. (2023 February). Top Issuers of General Purpose Credit Cards in the U.S. https://nilsonreport.com/newsletters/1236/ ⁶ McCann, A. (2023, September 11). Average Credit Card Debt. WalletHub. https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/average-credit-card-debt/25533 ⁷ Research and Statistics Group (2023 August). Household Debt and Credit Report (Q2 2023). The New York Fed. https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/interactives/householdcredit/data/pdf/HHDC_2023Q2 ⁸ The Federal Reserve (2022, March 10). Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm ⁹ Cubides, E., O’Brien, S. (2023, May 5). 2023 Findings from the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. https://www.frbsf.org/cash/publications/fed-notes/2023/may/2023-findings-from-the-diary-of-consumer-payment-choice/ ¹⁰ Cothern, L. (2023, January 11). What Is a Credit Card Network and How Do They Work? Credit Karma. https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-cards/i/credit-card-networks ¹¹ Visa (n.d.) Operational Performance Data, Q4FY22. https://s1.q4cdn.com/050606653/files/doc_financials/2022/q4/Q4FY22-Visa-Operational-Performance-Data-FINAL-v2.pdf ¹² Mastercard (n.d.) Supplemental Operational Performance 2021Q2–2023Q2. https://s25.q4cdn.com/479285134/files/doc_financials/2023/q2/2Q23-Mastercard-Supplemental-Operational-Performance-Data.pdf ¹³ Kiernan, J. (2023, May 2). List of Credit Card Companies & Major Cards. WalletHub. https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/credit-card-companies/20409 ¹⁴ American Express (n.d.). 2020 Annual Report. https://s26.q4cdn.com/747928648/files/doc_financials/2020/ar/2020-Annual-Report-(1).pdf ¹⁵ Banker, S., Dunfield, D., Huang, A., Prelec, D. (2021, February 18). Neural Mechanisms of Credit Card Spending. Scientific Reports. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83488-3
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
In general, considering the different credit scoring models, the typical ranges for a credit score being good or bad include the following:
750 or higher – Excellent
700 to 749 – Good
650 to 699 – Fair
600 to 649 – Poor
Below 600 – Extremely Poor
When you max out a credit card, you can expect your monthly payments to increase and future transactions to be denied until you lower your balance. You also risk the potential for your credit score to drop. Maxing out your credit card increases your credit utilization ratio, which is the amount of credit you use compared to the amount you have available.
If you consistently make less than the minimum payment on your credit cards, it will eventually end with you defaulting on your account (unless otherwise discussed with your credit card issuer).
The number of cards you have does not directly influence your score and is not part of your score calculation. If having more cards means you use less of your available credit (credit utilization), this actually helps increase your score.
According to the Nilson Report, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Citigroup, Discover Financial, JPMorgan Chase, Synchrony Financial, and U.S. Bancorp are the most profitable payment card companies in the U.S.
For unsecured credit cards, credit card companies will require at least average credit. Unsecured credit cards don’t require a deposit.
A secured credit card requires a deposit when opening the account. This deposit reduces the risk the credit card issuer will take when issuing the card. If you miss a payment, the credit card issuer will take the money from your deposit and pay the balance. Secured credit cards are typically for people with bad or no credit.
An annual fee on a credit card is a price you must pay once a year to remain a cardholder and receive the card’s benefits. There is no set price range for an annual fee; it typically depends on the type of card and rewards.
There is no “one size fits all” rewards credit card. It will depend on whether you want a travel rewards card or a cash-back card. Think about how you spend your money and what kind of rewards you would like to receive from your card, then do your research.
Banks consider the following when issuing credit cards:
Credit Score: Credit card issuers look at your credit score to determine a risk factor in issuing you a credit card. This helps the issuers determine how likely you will be able to repay your credit card debt.
Delinquencies: Credit card issuers will look at any past-due accounts and late payments.
Credit Inquiries:Hard credit inquiries occur when you apply for a credit account, and the company looks into your credit. Too many hard inquiries can be a red flag to many credit card issuers.
Debt to Income Ratio: Credit card issuers want to know you can afford to pay your debts. They will look at your overall income and compare it with your debt to ensure they are not lending out more than you can pay.
Available Credit Usage: Credit usage is an important factor to credit card issuers. This reflects how much of your available credit you are using. If you have multiple maxed-out credit cards but pay them all on time, you are still using a good portion of your available credit. A good rule of thumb is to use less than 30% of your total credit.
Certain factors are important to consider when choosing a credit card that is right for you. Do you want to do a balance transfer? Are you comfortable paying an annual fee? What is the interest rate? Do you care about points/rewards, etc.?
Interest Rate: Some cards offer no interest for the first year or a certain amount of months, but what will the interest rate be after that promotional period?
Annual Fees: There are cards out there that don’t have annual fees. Do some research before you commit to a card with a fee.
Other Charges: Some cards will charge fees on certain transactions like balance transfers, foreign transactions, and cash advances. Look at these fees and consider if you should be concerned about it.
Rewards Programs: If the card has an annual fee, does the rewards program outweigh the fee? Do you want to earn miles, cash-back, or points? Choose a card that has a rewards program geared towards how you spend your money.
Founder and CEO of Upgraded Points, Alex is a leader in the industry and has earned and redeemed millions of points and miles. He frequently discusses the award travel industry with CNBC, Fox Business, The New York Times, and more.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
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