Depositphotos
Chicago ranks first for financial distress
Chicago, Illinois, ranked No. 1 in WalletHub’s February 2026 list of the U.S. cities with the most people in financial distress. The study compared 100 of the largest cities across nine measures tied to credit stress, bankruptcy trends, and online search behavior.
WalletHub defines financial distress as having a credit account in forbearance or with deferred payments.
Chicago also posted a nearly 30% increase in the share of residents with accounts in distress between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025. That combination of worsening credit strain and broad household pressure pushed Chicago to the top nationally.
vampy1/Depositphotos
The top 10 cities in the ranking
WalletHub’s February 2026 report listed the 10 U.S. cities with the most residents in financial distress. Chicago, Illinois, ranked first. Houston, Texas, ranked second. Las Vegas, Nevada, placed third…