Key Statistics
- Nearly 23 million Americans have unsecured personal loans, with an average balance of about $11,500.
- Today, the average interest rate on a personal loan is 11.48%, up from 9.38% in 2021.
- The average personal loan balance is highest among baby boomers ($21,644) and lowest among Generation Z ($7,684).
- The average new account balance for personal loans exceeds $12,000 in four states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New Jersey).
- The delinquency rate for personal loans that are 60 days or more past due is 3.62%.
Average Personal Loan Rates
Personal loans typically have higher interest rates than other types of loans because they tend to be unsecured. In other words, there’s no collateral backing the loan, which makes loaning money riskier for the lender.
Personal loan interest rates have edged higher in 2023 as a result of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes driven by inflation. The Fed raises rates during periods of high inflation in an attempt to slow borrowing and spending, thus bringing prices down.
Data from the Fed shows that the average personal loan rate was 12.17% during the third quarter of 2023 — almost three percentage points higher than it was three years ago.
So what does this mean for someone looking to borrow money with a personal loan?
An interest rate of 11.48% on a 24-month loan means you would pay $123.94 in principal and interest for every $1,000 borrowed. Your monthly payment would scale relative to the amount borrowed. For example, if you borrowed $10,000, your monthly payment would be just over $468.
How Much Are Personal Loans For?
In general, personal loan amounts range from $1,000 up to $50,000, though some lenders may offer loans up to $200,000. The average personal loan amount was about $11,500 as of Q2 2023, according to data from TransUnion. Below, we look at how average personal loan balances vary by generation and state.
Personal Loan Balances by Generation
Generally speaking, older individuals tend to have more personal loan debt. Average personal loan debt is highest among baby boomers ($21,644) and lowest among Gen Z ($7,684), according to the most recent data from Experian.
Lower average personal loan debt among Gen Z may be a product of lender guidelines. Lenders may be more hesitant to loan significant amounts of money to individuals with a less established credit history.
Personal Loan Balances by State
TransUnion reports that the average personal loan balance is roughly $11,500, but for new accounts, the balance is lower at around $7,800. We compared how average new account balances for personal loans vary by state.
Northeasterners are taking out larger personal loans, according to TransUnion. The average new account balance in June exceeded $12,000 in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey, data show.
Average new account balances are lowest in southern states, including Oklahoma ($3,375), Alabama ($4,589) and Texas ($4,756). The map below shows data across all 50 states, if you want to see how your state stacks up.
How Popular Are Personal Loans?
Personal loan debt dipped at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, falling from $159 billion in the first quarter of 2020 to $144 billion a year later.
Since then, it has grown steadily and significantly. Outstanding personal loan balances in the U.S. amounted to $232 billion at the end of June — nearly 46% higher than the March 2020 figure and roughly 59% higher than June of 2021, TransUnion data show.
The total number of personal loans and Americans with consumer loans has also increased, but at a slower rate than total outstanding balances.
As of Q2, TransUnion estimates there were more than 27 million unsecured personal loans taken out by about 22.7 million Americans. This is almost 15% more unsecured personal loans and over 8% more Americans with personal loans than in March of 2020.
Delinquency rates were also up, TransUnion reports. To be sure, the delinquency rate for personal loans that are 60 days or more past due was 3.62% as of Q2 2023. This delinquency figure is about a percentage point higher than it was two years prior when it stood at 2.28%.
Common Personal Loan Uses
Personal loans are typically unrestricted, meaning borrowers can use them for any legal purpose, however some uses are more common than others. Two of the most popular personal loan uses are debt consolidation and home improvements.
In a recent survey by the MarketWatch Guides team, we found that more than two in five individuals said their primary reason for taking out a personal loan was for one of those two reasons.
Nondiscretionary expenses such as car financing and automotive repairs, everyday bills and medical expenses were also popular uses for personal loans. Meanwhile, other discretionary expenses proved less popular. Less than 3% of survey respondents reported using a personal loan to cover either vacation or wedding expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Loans
A personal loan is money borrowed from a bank, credit union or online lender that is paid back in installments. Most personal loans are unsecured, which means they’re not backed by collateral, and are typically used to cover immediate expenses that borrowers may not have the cash to cover. Personal loans typically have a set interest rate, loan term and monthly payments.
In general, personal loans range from $1,000 up to $50,000, though some lenders may offer loans up to $200,000. The amount of money you may be eligible to borrow depends on factors like your income, credit history, existing debt and the lender’s policies. The stronger your financial profile, the more likely you are to qualify for a larger personal loan.
Many lenders require a minimum credit score of 620 to qualify for a personal loan. However, some lenders may have stricter guidelines. If your credit score isn’t high enough to qualify, you can work to improve your credit through paying down debts and credit card bills or speaking with a credit counselor.
Most personal loans are “unrestricted,” meaning you can use them for any legal purpose. This can be anything from purchasing a new car to helping cover the cost of a wedding. Though personal loans typically have no restrictions, it’s generally recommended to only use them for expenses that you can afford to pay back.
Editor’s Note: Before making significant financial decisions, consider reviewing your options with someoneyou trust, such as a financial adviser, credit counselor or financial professional, since every person’s situation and needs are different.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team ateditors@marketwatchguides.com.
Stephanie HoranLead Data Analyst
Stephanie Horan is a lead data analyst for the MarketWatch Guides Team, specializing in home buying and personal finance. Beginning her career in asset management and transitioning to data journalism, Stephanie is a Certified Educator of Personal Finance (CEPF®). She is passionate about translating data to provide digestible insights for a broad audience.Her studies have been featured in CNBC, Bloomberg and the New York Times, among many others.
Kelly LarsonSenior Editor
Kelly is an editorial leader and collaborator with over 13 years of experience creating and optimizing data-driven, reader-focused digital content. Before joining our team, Kelly was the cross-niche editor and Branded Content Lead at personal finance and fintech site Finder.
