Adults aged 45 to 54 have rising credit card debt despite record incomes

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  Adults aged 45 to 54 had the largest credit card balances of any age group in 2025, according to Federal Reserve data.

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  Their inflation-adjusted balances rose from around $3,300 in 2022 to around $5,100 in 2025.

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  The group also had the highest median pre-tax income, nearly $109,000, a record in the dataset after inflation adjustment.

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  Its median net worth fell from around $270,000 to $255,000, while the median net worth of people aged 75 and older rose.

Who

Adults aged 45 to 54.

What

Their credit card balances rose to the highest level among age groups, despite their record median income.

When

As of 2025; balances rose between 2022 and 2025.

Where

The United States.

Why

The article suggests rising costs and lagging wealth may be contributing factors, but does not establish a cause.

This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.

No direct quotes in the coverage so far.