15 States Where Americans Have the Most Credit Cards

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Upgraded Points.

Nearly all financial experts agree that having access to at least one credit card is an important financial tool. The question of how many cards a person should carry, however, is more complicated.

According to data from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the large majority of cardholders — approximately 69% — hold between two and eight cards. Conversely, only 26% manage with just one credit card, while a mere 6% possess nine or more cards.

When managed appropriately, having multiple credit cards provides both practical and financial benefits. An extra card can come in handy if one is lost or needs to be canceled, and having multiple lines of credit available can be helpful when unexpected expenses arise.

However, holding multiple cards can also carry risks if cardholders aren’t careful. Tracking balances, card limits, and billing cycles across multiple cards can be challenging. Furthermore, the availability of increased credit may encourage individuals to overspend.

The share of cardholders with a high number of cards varies by geography. The following is a breakdown of the states where residents have the most credit cards.

The analysis was conducted by Upgraded Points using data from FINRA. For more information, refer to the methodology section at the end.

1. Louisiana

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 8.8%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.6%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.8%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.4
• Average Credit Score: 690

2. Nevada

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 8.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.7%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 702

3. Florida

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 8.4%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 4.2%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 2.1%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 708

4. Texas

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 8.3%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.3%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.7%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 695

5. Georgia

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 8.2%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.6%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 695

6. Mississippi

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 7.9%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.9%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 2.6%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 680

7. Connecticut

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 7.8%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.0%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.0%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.7
• Average Credit Score: 726

8. South Carolina

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 7.6%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.7%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 2.3%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.5
• Average Credit Score: 699

9. New Jersey

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 7.3%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.1%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.9%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 725

10. Missouri

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 7.0%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.0%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.3%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.5
• Average Credit Score: 714

11. Pennsylvania

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 6.9%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.1%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 723

12. Washington

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 6.9%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.0%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.7%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.6
• Average Credit Score: 735

13. New York

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 6.8%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 3.4%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.9%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.7
• Average Credit Score: 721

14. Maryland

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 6.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.5%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 1.3%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.5
• Average Credit Score: 716

15. Illinois

• Share of Cardholders With 9+ Cards: 6.4%
• Share of Cardholders With 13+ Cards: 2.4%
• Share of Cardholders With 20+ Cards: 0.9%
• Credit Cards per Person: 2.5
• Average Credit Score: 720

Methodology

The data used in this study is from FINRA Foundation’s 2021 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) and Experian’s Average FICO Score by State.

To determine the states whose residents hold the most credit cards, researchers at Upgraded Points calculated the percentage of cardholders who report having nine credit cards or more.

In the event of a tie, the state with the greater share of cardholders having 13 or more credit cards was ranked higher.

The “Credit Cards per Person” data field is an estimate of the median number of cards held per cardholder based on the available grouped frequency data.