Delaware · South Atlantic
Debt consolidation in Delaware
Adults in Delaware with a credit file carry $4,520 in credit card debt on average, 4% above the national $4,350. 12.22% of those balances are 90 or more days past due.
- $4,520
- card debt per adult, 18th of 51
- 12.22%
- of card balances 90+ days late (US 12.36%)
- +28.4%
- card debt growth since 2019 (US +28.3%)
What Delaware households owe
Card balances per adult are up 28.4% since 2019, faster than the national +28.3% (18th fastest of 51). Balances fell from $3,520 in 2019 to $3,110 in 2020, when spending dropped and stimulus paid down cards, then climbed back to $4,520 by 2025.
Card debt is the most expensive balance most households carry, which is why it is usually the first target for consolidation. In Delaware, cards, auto loans and student loans add up to $16,490 per adult, 7% above the national $15,470.
| Type | DE | US | DE change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | $4,520 | $4,350 | +3.9% |
| Auto loans | $5,650 | $5,660 | -0.5% |
| Student loans | $6,320 | $5,460 | 0.0% |
| Mortgages | $46,450 | $44,300 | +4.2% |
| All household debt | $66,170 | $63,200 | +3.4% |
Personal loan rules in Delaware
Delaware sets no interest rate cap on consumer installment loans from licensed lenders; the rate is whatever the loan agreement says. Lenders need a Delaware licensed lender license.
- Closed-end loans by Delaware licensed lenders: No cap; interest may be charged at the rate the loan agreement provides, and other state rate limits do not apply (Del. Code Ann. tit. 5, §§ 2229, 2237)
The National Consumer Law Center puts the highest APR allowed in Delaware at no cap on a $500, six-month loan and no cap on a $2,000, two-year loan (Predatory Installment Lending in the States: How Well Do the States Protect Consumers Against High-Cost Installment Loans? (2025), National Consumer Law Center, December 2025).
Non-bank lenders need a state license to make these loans. License: Licensed lender license (Del. Code Ann. tit. 5, § 2202(a)).
No cap for either NCLC sample loan. Delaware does limit short-term consumer loans (loans of $1,000 or less due in under 60 days) to five per borrower in any 12-month period, counting rollovers and refinancings (Del. Code Ann. tit. 5, § 2235A). A person making no more than 5 loans in 12 months is not treated as in the lending business.
Compare rate caps in every state. Checked 2026-09-30. Summary for general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and banks chartered in other states may follow different rules. Sources: Delaware Code tit. 5, ch. 22, subch. I (Licensing); Delaware Code tit. 5, ch. 22, subch. III (Closed End Credit); NCLC, Predatory Installment Lending in the States (2025), main report with Map 1 ($500) and Map 2 ($2,000); NCLC, Predatory Installment Lending in the States (2025), Appendix C: state lending laws; NCLC fact sheet, State APR Caps for $500, $2,000 and $10,000 Installment Loans (Nov. 2024).
How many Delaware borrowers are behind
12.22% of credit card balances in Delaware were seriously delinquent (90+ days) at the end of 2025. That is 0.1 points below the national rate of 12.36%, placing Delaware 17th of 51 for card delinquency (1st is the highest). The rate rose 0.9 points in the past year, from 11.29% in 2024. In 2019 the share was 8.56%.
Auto loan delinquency in Delaware stood at 6.12% (US 5.18%), and student loan delinquency at 9.27% (US 8.25%). If your payments are current, you are in a better position to qualify for a lower rate. If not, read our guide to consolidation loans with bad credit .
Delaware next to its neighbors
Among the 9 South Atlantic states, Delaware has the 6th highest card debt per adult.
- District of Columbia: $5,500 per adult, 11.16% 90+ days late
- Maryland: $5,090 per adult, 11.65% 90+ days late
- Florida: $5,050 per adult, 14.94% 90+ days late
- Virginia: $4,770 per adult, 9.85% 90+ days late
- Georgia: $4,610 per adult, 13.91% 90+ days late
- Delaware: $4,520 per adult, 12.22% 90+ days late
- North Carolina: $4,160 per adult, 12.5% 90+ days late
- South Carolina: $4,090 per adult, 13.36% 90+ days late
- West Virginia: $3,180 per adult, 13.72% 90+ days late
Ten years of card debt in Delaware
Card debt per adult in Delaware has changed +53.7% since 2015 and +3.9% in the last year alone (US +4.1%).
| Year | DE | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $2,940 | $2,800 |
| 2019 | $3,520 | $3,390 |
| 2020 | $3,110 | $2,970 |
| 2024 | $4,350 | $4,180 |
| 2025 | $4,520 | $4,350 |
What consolidating could save at DE numbers
Take the Delaware average of $4,520 and pay it off in 36 months. At a 24% card APR the payment is about $177 a month and the interest about $1,864. With a 12% consolidation loan the payment drops to about $150 and the interest to about $885, a difference of $979.
People who carry a balance usually owe more than the per-adult average. On $11,500 the same comparison is $4,742 of card interest against $2,251 on the loan. These rates are examples, not offers. Your APR depends on your credit, income and the lender, and an origination fee reduces the savings. See what lenders look for.
Your options in Delaware
- Debt consolidation loan: one fixed payment and end date, worth it when the APR is clearly below your card rates. How to compare offers.
- Debt management plan: a nonprofit credit counseling agency negotiates lower rates with your card issuers. Useful if you cannot qualify for a loan. DMP vs consolidation.
- Balance transfer card: a 0% introductory APR can beat a loan if you can clear the balance before the promo ends. Balance transfer vs personal loan.
Checking a lender in Delaware
Non-bank consumer lenders in Delaware are licensed by the Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Before you accept an offer, look up the lender's license. To report a problem, file with the Delaware Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Unit or the CFPB. Never pay upfront fees for debt relief.
Delaware debt consolidation FAQ
How much credit card debt does the average person in Delaware have?
$4,520 per adult with a credit file at the end of 2025, according to New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel/Equifax data. That is 4% above the US figure of $4,350 and ranks 18th of 51. The figure includes people with no card balance, so people who do carry a balance typically owe more.
Are more people in Delaware falling behind on credit cards?
12.22% of card balances in Delaware were 90 or more days past due in 2025, compared with 8.56% in 2019 (up 3.7 points). The national rate was 12.36%.
Can a consolidation loan lower what borrowers in Delaware pay in interest?
It can if the loan APR is well below your card APRs. On a $4,520 balance paid off over 36 months, a 24% card APR costs about $1,864 in interest and a 12% loan about $885. Rates depend on your credit and the lender, loans are not available in every state, and fees can shrink the savings.
Does debt consolidation hurt your credit in Delaware?
Checking offers uses a soft inquiry and does not affect your score. Accepting a loan adds a hard inquiry and a new account, which can dip your score briefly, while paying down card balances usually helps over time.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel/Equifax, State Level Household Debt Statistics 2003-2025 (February 2026), Q4 figures per adult with a credit file. Ranks and changes computed by Smart Debt Relief across 50 states and DC. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Full state table and CSV.