Money Matters - Being Diligent with Credit

 With inflation driving up the cost of borrowing and millions of Americans facing identity theft and fraud each year, the personal-finance company WalletHub released its report on the Cities Where People Are the Most Diligent With Credit in 2025. The study highlights where residents face the lowest risks of credit score damage, fraud, and other financial setbacks.

To create the rankings, WalletHub analyzed 100 of the largest U.S. cities using six key measures of credit awareness and diligence, ranging from the percentage of residents who have missed payments to the percentage of frozen credit reports and active bankruptcies.
 

Most Diligent	Least Diligent
1. Fremont, CA	91. Toledo, OH
2. Honolulu, HI	92. Baton Rouge, LA
3. Seattle, WA	93. Milwaukee, WI
4. Scottsdale, AZ	94. Corpus Christi, TX
5. San Francisco, CA	95. Tulsa, OK
6. Washington, DC	96. Garland, TX
7. San Jose, CA	97. North Las Vegas, NV
8. Boston, MA	98. Memphis, TN
9. New York, NY	99. Birmingham, AL
10. Boise, ID	100. Detroit, MI

 
For the full report and to see where your city ranks, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-where-people-are-most-diligent-with-credit/140027

 

“The people who are most diligent with their credit always make their monthly payments on time and limit what they borrow to what they can actually afford to pay back. Many people don’t realize that credit diligence goes further than just being responsible with your borrowing and payments, though. Monitoring your accounts and credit reports for any signs of fraud is also very important, as inaccurate information can tank your credit score. Freezing your credit reports when you’re not applying for credit can also protect you from identity theft and fraud.”
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“Fremont is the city where people are the most diligent with credit, boasting the lowest percentage of people who missed payments during Q2 2025. Due to residents being diligent about paying on time, the city also had the lowest percentage of people with collection accounts, one of the lowest percentage with foreclosures, and one of the lowest percentage with active bankruptcies during Q2 2025. In addition, around 6% of Fremont residents had frozen credit reports, which demonstrates that they are being proactive about avoiding fraud.”

- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst


More From WalletHub

• States Where People Are Most Diligent With Credit
• Most & Least Financially Literate States
• States With the Most People in Financial Distress
• Best & Worst State Economies
• Cities Where People Have the Best Money Management Skills
• Cities With the Best & Worst Budgeters