New credit card accounts opened by New York residents in the second quarter of 2026 had an average credit limit of $5,151, down 11.05% from accounts opened in the same quarter a year earlier, according to WalletHub.
New York ranked 23rd among the 50 states in the company’s report on credit limit decreases, which combined changes in borrowing limits with the dollar amounts available to cardholders.
For accounts opened during the 12-month period ending in June 2026, New York’s average credit limit was $8,166. WalletHub reported a 0.18% decline for that measure, much smaller than the decrease for accounts opened in the latest quarter.
Four measures shape the overall ranking
New York received an overall score of 69.29. It ranked 16th in WalletHub’s average-credit-limit category and 36th in the category measuring changes in average limits, with lower numerical ranks representing worse conditions.
WalletHub used its own database to compare all 50 states, with data collected as of Sept. 24, 2026. Changes in average limits accounted for 75 of the study’s 100 possible points, while average credit limits accounted for the other 25 points.
Two change measures carried about 37.5 points each: the percentage change for accounts opened in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the second quarter of 2025, and the change from June 2025 to June 2026.
The remaining measures, each worth about 12.5 points, examined average limits for accounts opened in the second quarter of 2026 and for accounts opened during the year ending in June 2026.
Declines extend beyond New York
WalletHub said average credit limits declined in 36 states year over year as of the second quarter of 2026. Utah ranked first overall, followed by Minnesota and Montana.
Minnesota’s average limit for accounts opened in the second quarter fell more than 23% from the same quarter a year earlier. Its average over the 12-month period ending in June was nearly 8% lower than in the preceding period.
Montana’s average limit over that 12-month period fell about 13%. Accounts opened there in the second quarter had an average limit of $4,946, while the average for accounts opened during the year ending in June was $6,544.
A lower limit reduces the amount a cardholder can borrow. WalletHub also noted that a lower limit can raise credit utilization — the portion of available credit being used — and hurt a credit score.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said rising card debt, delinquency, lower credit scores or reduced income can contribute to limit reductions. He also pointed to inflation’s effect on card balances and utilization.
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