Grand Rapids Ranks in Top 10 Cities For Credit Card Debt

Experts will always tell you to be careful about how you use credit cards, and it seems like the people of West Michigan have been listening closely.

When it comes to credit card usage, Grand Rapids, Michigan, isn't following the crowd. Recent data crunching by WalletHub reveals that while credit card ownership is on the rise nationally, Grand Rapids remains decidedly conservative in its financial approach.

In fact, Grand Rapids is ranked 9th in the country when it comes to making sure we aren't spending more than we can afford to pay off. That's something we should be super proud of!

According to WalletHub's analysis of Q4 2023 consumer-finance data, Grand Rapids sits at a modest 173rd place in overall credit card ownership growth, making us one of the best in the country when it comes to not running up debt that we cannot afford.

Grand Rapids residents also opened an average of 1.17 new credit cards per person—a nearly 12% drop from the previous year. Meanwhile, the average number of credit cards owned per resident nudged up by just under 5% compared to the previous year, landing at 4.72 cards per person.

Grand Rapids' reluctance to embrace the credit card frenzy might seem out of step with the national trend, but it speaks volumes about the city's financial ethos. Whether it's a cultural aversion to debt, robust financial education efforts, or simply a preference for alternative payment methods, Grand Rapids bucks the trend.

And we're not alone in the mitten when it comes to being responsible. It turns out our friends in Detroit were actually surprisingly savvy about their debt as well, ranking 158th in the country, just 20 behind Grand Rapids, and well below the national average.

While other cities chase the allure of plastic, Grand Rapids residents show a steadfast commitment to fiscal responsibility. In a world where credit often reigns supreme, this Michigan city stands as a beacon of measured spending and sensible financial management.