How much debt does the average person in Rhode Island owe?
Updates published annually
Around $61,300 in 2024. Compared to the previous year, the average adult owed $212 less debt after adjusting for inflation, reflecting slight shifts in household borrowing patterns. This debt, often referred to as “household debt,” represents the total amount owed by individuals for obligations such as mortgages, student loans, credit cards, and auto loans.
These figures represent the average debt owed by Rhode Island residents with a credit score. (Nationally, roughly 80% of adults have a credit score.) While this gives a general sense of the debt burden for Rhode Island residents, remember that actual individual debt varies — some may carry much more or less debt than this average. Debt levels also fluctuate over time, especially during times of economic instability.
$61.3K
in debt owed by the average person with a credit score (2024)
$212
less debt owed by residents with a credit score (2024 vs 2023, adjusted for inflation)
Debt levels also fluctuate over time, especially during times of economic instability. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, household debt increased in the early 2000s, largely driven by housing debts like mortgages. Following the downturn in home prices and the onset of the Great Recession in late 2007, people began paying off their existing loans while taking out fewer new loans, leading to a decline in overall debt levels.
In 2007, during The Great Recession — a debt peak for the US — Rhode Island residents owed around $469 more in household debt than the average American. In 2024, they owed around $360 less.
The average person in Rhode Island owed $360 less in debt than the average American in 2024
Household debt per capita for people with a credit score, adjusted for inflation (2024)
While household debt takes many forms — student loans, auto loans, credit card balances — mortgage debt accounted for around 69.7% of all household debt in Rhode Island in 2024. Mortgages, typically loans taken to purchase homes, are often the largest and longest-term financial commitments for many households. The high cost of housing combined with extended repayment periods (usually five to 30 years) contributes to mortgage debts’ outsized share of overall household debt.
Subscribe to get unbiased, data-driven insights sent to your inbox weekly.
Mortgage debt made up around 69.7% of all household debt in Rhode Island in 2024
Household debt per capita for people with a credit score
Another important aspect of household debt is the debt-to-income ratio. This ratio compares how much debt a person carries with how much income they earn in a year. If the ratio is greater than 1, it means that, on average, people owe more than they earn annually. This can indicate a heavier financial burden and make it harder to keep up with payments.
Debt-to-income ratios vary from county to county within a state because of differences in income levels, housing costs, and borrowing habits. In 2024, Bristol County had the highest debt-to-income ratio in the state of 4.21. This means that for every $1 of income earned, the average resident in Bristol County would owe $4.21. Alternatively, in Providence County, residents experience around $1.48 for every $1 of income, the lowest of any county in the state.
Bristol County had the highest debt to income ratio in Rhode Island in 2024
Annual household debt, excluding student loans, compared to annual household income
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
