Americans Aged 45 to 54 Hold Highest Credit Card Balances

Americans aged 45 to 54 now hold the highest credit card balances of any age group, according to the latest consumer finance accounting from the Federal Reserve System. Inflation-adjusted balances for this cohort rose from approximately $3,300 in 2022 to $5,100 in 2025, surpassing the 64 to 75-year-old demographic.

This increase in debt occurs while the 45 to 54-year-old group earns the highest median pre-tax income in the economy at nearly $109,000, the largest inflation-adjusted median income ever recorded in the dataset. Despite these earnings, the median net worth for this group declined from $270,000 to $255,000. In contrast, the median net worth for those 75 and older rose to nearly $505,000.

Data from the University of Michigan indicates that consumer sentiment is lowest among Americans aged 35 to 54. This dip in confidence coincides with the rise in credit card debt for the older portion of that cohort.