Montana Residents Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster Than Almost Every Other State
A new analysis from WalletHub shows Montana ranks among the states where residents can pay off credit card debt the fastest, even as Americans continue to take on record levels of debt nationwide.
The report found the total amount of U.S. credit card debt is approaching $1.4 trillion, with an additional $100 billion expected to be added in 2026 alone.
Montana ranked 50th overall in WalletHub’s study, which measures how long it takes to pay off median credit card balances. A lower ranking indicates faster payoff times and more manageable debt. Only West Virginia ranked lower.
According to the analysis, Montana residents carry a median credit card balance of $2,727 and can expect to pay it off in about 10 months and 22 days, one of the shortest timeframes in the country.
By comparison, North Dakota ranked 29th, with a median balance of $2,505 and a payoff timeline of just over 12 months. South Dakota ranked 19th, while Minnesota came in at 20th and Wyoming at 21st. Idaho ranked 37th.
States with the longest payoff timelines included the District of Columbia, Alaska and Vermont, where residents may take more than 14 to 16 months to eliminate typical balances.
WalletHub analysts said the length of time it takes to pay off debt depends not only on how much people owe, but also how much they pay each month.
“Looking at the median credit card debt in a state can give you a good idea of whether people are struggling or doing well compared to people in other states, but it’s also important to look at how much residents put toward paying their debts off each month,” said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst. “Low average payments lead to long payoff timelines, which in turn lead to high amounts of interest accrued.”
The study found that some states with relatively low debt still rank poorly due to smaller monthly payments, while others with higher balances rank better because residents pay them down more aggressively.
States Where It Will Take the Longest to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
| Overall Rank* | State | Median Credit-Card Debt | Cost to Pay off | Months & Days Until Payoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $3,647 | -$541 | 16 months and 13 days |
| 2 | Alaska | $3,827 | -$564 | 16 months and 10 days |
| 3 | Vermont | $2,735 | -$363 | 14 months and 22 days |
| 4 | Colorado | $3,307 | -$405 | 13 months and 15 days |
| 5 | Connecticut | $3,171 | -$379 | 13 months and 5 days |
| 6 | Washington | $3,073 | -$364 | 13 months |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $2,953 | -$345 | 12 months and 30 days |
| 8 | New Mexico | $2,646 | -$309 | 12 months and 30 days |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $3,001 | -$351 | 12 months and 30 days |
| 10 | Oregon | $2,824 | -$330 | 12 months and 29 days |
| 11 | Kansas | $2,605 | -$301 | 12 months and 25 days |
| 12 | Virginia | $3,038 | -$351 | 12 months and 24 days |
| 13 | Texas | $3,164 | -$364 | 12 months and 22 days |
| 14 | Maryland | $3,122 | -$358 | 12 months and 21 days |
| 15 | Georgia | $3,200 | -$366 | 12 months and 18 days |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $2,724 | -$311 | 12 months and 18 days |
| 17 | South Carolina | $2,948 | -$336 | 12 months and 18 days |
| 18 | Arizona | $3,039 | -$346 | 12 months and 17 days |
| 19 | South Dakota | $2,501 | -$284 | 12 months and 15 days |
| 20 | Minnesota | $2,569 | -$290 | 12 months and 13 days |
| 21 | Wyoming | $2,676 | -$301 | 12 months and 11 days |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $2,915 | -$327 | 12 months and 10 days |
| 23 | California | $3,057 | -$343 | 12 months and 9 days |
| 24 | Maine | $2,683 | -$300 | 12 months and 8 days |
| 25 | Missouri | $2,617 | -$291 | 12 months and 7 days |
| 26 | Delaware | $2,968 | -$329 | 12 months and 5 days |
| 27 | Illinois | $2,767 | -$306 | 12 months and 4 days |
| 28 | Michigan | $2,571 | -$284 | 12 months and 3 days |
| 29 | North Dakota | $2,505 | -$277 | 12 months and 3 days |
| 30 | Florida | $3,087 | -$338 | 12 months |
| 31 | New Jersey | $3,063 | -$330 | 11 months and 28 days |
| 32 | Nevada | $3,089 | -$332 | 11 months and 27 days |
| 33 | Alabama | $2,724 | -$292 | 11 months and 25 days |
| 34 | New York | $2,812 | -$301 | 11 months and 25 days |
| 35 | North Carolina | $2,843 | -$302 | 11 months and 22 days |
| 36 | Louisiana | $2,781 | -$295 | 11 months and 21 days |
| 37 | Idaho | $2,710 | -$288 | 11 months and 21 days |
| 38 | Nebraska | $2,436 | -$257 | 11 months and 19 days |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $2,234 | -$235 | 11 months and 18 days |
| 40 | Tennessee | $2,802 | -$294 | 11 months and 16 days |
| 41 | Indiana | $2,424 | -$251 | 11 months and 11 days |
| 42 | Ohio | $2,484 | -$257 | 11 months and 11 days |
| 43 | Iowa | $2,162 | -$221 | 11 months and 5 days |
| 44 | Mississippi | $2,482 | -$253 | 11 months and 4 days |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $2,547 | -$257 | 11 months and 1 day |
| 46 | Hawaii | $3,183 | -$316 | 10 months and 29 days |
| 47 | Kentucky | $2,373 | -$234 | 10 months and 26 days |
| 48 | Utah | $2,758 | -$270 | 10 months and 23 days |
| 49 | Arkansas | $2,515 | -$245 | 10 months and 22 days |
| 50 | Montana | $2,727 | -$266 | 10 months and 22 days |
| 51 | West Virginia | $2,251 | -$219 | 10 months and 22 days |
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