U.S. Debt Delinquency Reaches Highest Level Since 2010
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A Federal Reserve survey found more families were behind on loan payments at the end of 2025, while payment burdens also increased.
A Federal Reserve survey found more families were behind on loan payments at the end of 2025, while payment burdens also increased.
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- Debt delinquency reached a new high: The share of families behind on loan payments rose to nearly 20% at the end of 2025, up from about 12% in the prior survey.
- Debt-payment burden also increased: Families with payment-to-income ratios above 40% accounted for 8.6%, compared with 6.5% in 2022.
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- The share of families behind on loan payments reached nearly 20% at the end of 2025.
- The share of families with payment-to-income ratios above 40% rose to 8.6%.
Debt delinquency reached a new high
The share of families behind on loan payments rose to nearly 20% at the end of 2025, up from about 12% in the prior survey. The Federal Reserve said that was the highest level since 2010.
The finding covers loan payments generally, not mortgages specifically. For a homebuyer, broader debt delinquency can matter because existing payment obligations may be considered when a lender evaluates affordability.
Debt-payment burden also increased
Families with payment-to-income ratios above 40% accounted for 8.6%, compared with 6.5% in 2022. That measure captures how much of household income is committed to debt payments.
When other debt consumes more income, a household may have less room for a new housing payment, though the survey does not establish how lenders or individual borrowers will respond. The central subject remains worsening debt-payment conditions across families.
