San Diego, CA
Credit card debt is soaring, especially in this San Diego-area city
(NEXSTAR) – Americans are falling behind on their credit card payments at a level not seen in more than a decade amid high interest rates and persistent inflation, but some cities have far higher average debts than others, a study found.
Four of the five cities with the highest average household credit card debt are located in California, a study by finance site WalletHub found. One of those cities is located in San Diego County.
According to this data, Chula Vista has an average household credit card debt of $20,920, with total credit card debt adding up to $1,737,924,020.
Using data from the Census Bureau, TransUnion and the Federal Reserve, the study’s authors looked at inflation-adjusted household debt in the country’s largest 181 cities found Santa Clarita, California to have the highest average household credit card debt ($21,836), followed by Chula Vista, CA ($20,920), New York, NY ($19,207), Fontana, CA ($18,843) and Rancho Cucamonga, CA ($18,549).
| Rank* | City | Household Credit Card Debt | Total Credit Card Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clarita, CA | $21,836 | $1,601,940,835 |
| 2 | Chula Vista, CA | $20,920 | $1,737,924,020 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $19,207 | $63,051,659,994 |
| 4 | Fontana, CA | $18,843 | $1,052,484,026 |
| 5 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | $18,549 | $1,067,576,023 |
| 6 | Pearl City, HI | $18,525 | $277,629,365 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $18,094 | $1,638,261,858 |
| 8 | Oxnard, CA | $18,068 | $923,256,732 |
| 9 | Chesapeake, VA | $17,993 | $1,644,029,202 |
| 10 | Pembroke Pines, FL | $17,896 | $1,124,017,882 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley, CA | $17,847 | $962,997,139 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $17,502 | $2,027,197,821 |
| 13 | Santa Ana, CA | $17,500 | $1,357,153,414 |
| 14 | Plano, TX | $17,410 | $1,870,634,960 |
| 15 | Gilbert, AZ | $17,305 | $1,562,646,307 |
| 16 | Glendale, CA | $17,304 | $1,264,996,463 |
| 17 | Henderson, NV | $17,013 | $2,120,265,216 |
| 18 | Virginia Beach, VA | $16,947 | $3,031,986,253 |
| 19 | Los Angeles, CA | $16,873 | $23,612,096,710 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach, CA | $16,767 | $1,301,835,881 |
For the full ranking of the 181 largest cities, see the WalletHub study.
“Some of the cities where households owe the most credit card debt, like Santa Clarita and Chula Vista, CA, have high median incomes, high debt payoff rates and low delinquency rates; this indicates that residents may simply have high credit card limits and can afford to borrow more,” according to Cassandra Happe, WalletHub analyst. “Other cities, like New York, have high average credit card debts driven more by financial struggles, which we can see in the number of people who are in financial distress or who are delinquent on their debt.”
What’s behind the debt?
For many American families, it’s likely a combination of factors.
With the Federal Reserve raising its key interest rate to fight nagging inflation, the interest rate on new credit cards has also jumped higher. As of Thursday, the average APR was 24.80%, according to LendingTree.
Tavares said that the number of bills that have become delinquent is now higher than it was before the pandemic, adding that renters appear to be especially vulnerable.
“Younger and less affluent people are experiencing challenges,” Silvio Tavares, CEO of VantageScore, a credit score modeling and analytics company, told the Associated Press. “And high interest rates are having an effect.”
Along with high interest rates and inflation driving up the cost of everyday goods, Americans can no longer rely on some of the pandemic-era stimulus instruments, such as payments, the child tax credit and increased unemployment benefits that boosted household finances.
While not every person with a rolling credit card debt is delinquent, many Americans are increasingly at-risk of not making payments, according to Bruce McClary, senior vice president at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
There’s likely a large group of consumers paying minimum balances and staying out of delinquency for now but who are too financially stressed to pay their balances in full, McClary said. A worsening of the economy could push those consumers into severe delinquency.
For those people working to get out of debt, McClary recommends calling credit card companies to negotiate interest rates, fees and long-term payment plans.
“The best thing to do is to reach out, give an honest assessment of your ability to pay over time, and ask what options are available to you both ‘on and off-the-menu,’” McClary said. This kind of phrasing can give creditors an opening to offer more flexibility, he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
San Diego, CA
Man fatally struck by hit-and-run vehicle in San Diego
A man in the Mission Bay Park community of San Diego was fatally struck Sunday morning by a hit-and run vehicle, authorities said.
The victim was also struck by a second vehicle and that motorist stayed at the scene to cooperate with officers, the San Diego Police Department reported.
The initial crash occurred at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday in the area of West Mission Bay and Sea World drives.
The pedestrian was in the southbound lanes of the 2000 block of West Mission Bay Drive when he was struck by a silver vehicle also in the southbound lanes. That vehicle fled the scene, continuing southbound, police said.
A 28-year-old man driving his vehicle southbound ran over the downed pedestrian.
“That driver remained at the scene and is not DUI,” according to a police statement. “The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Anyone with information regarding the initial crash was urged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
San Diego, CA
Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records
San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.
The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.
Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.
El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.
Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.
Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.
Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.
Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.
Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.
San Diego, CA
Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title
OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.
“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.
So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.
With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.
The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.
Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”
One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.
“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”
Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.
Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.
“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.
As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.
Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”
That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.
The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.
“She’s a great player,” said Brown.
“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”
Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.
“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”
Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.
Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.
About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”
Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.
Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.
“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.
Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.
“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”
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