RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN – For many Tennesseans, credit cards have become a lifeline for daily essentials like groceries, gas, and rent. But for younger adults, the financial picture is looking more grim, with higher delinquency rates and mounting debt. A new analysis by Upgraded Points, using data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, found that Tennessee’s young adults are struggling more than most of the nation — though the impact looks very different depending on where you live. This performance varies the greatest between major cities in Middle and West Tennessee.
Memphis Tops the Nation for Young Adult Credit Card Delinquency – The Memphis metro area ranked worst in the nation for young adult credit card delinquency, with 27.5% of cardholders ages 18–34 more than 90 days overdue — nearly 7 points higher than the next metro. Memphis also faces long-term job growth of just 1.6%, with one-year job growth in the negative at -0.3% and short-term growth even worse at -1.1%. Wages have risen only 28% over five years, lagging behind other Tennessee regions. Combined with one of the nation’s highest poverty rates, it’s a troubling economic picture – See 2024 Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet.
West Tennessee Credit Card Debt Compared to Middle Tennessee Credit Card Debt – In 2025, the share of young adults with severely delinquent debt in the Nashville–Murfreesboro–Franklin MSA stands at 13.4%, compared to 27.5% in Memphis. Back in 2022, the numbers were lower: just 10.4% of young adults in the Rutherford County area carried severely delinquent debt, while 21.2% of young adults in Memphis were in the same situation…