Mortgage debt is by far the biggest category of debt for Americans, with the average household owing around $109,000 and our total balance reaching $13.2 trillion. Interest rates have risen rapidly in recent years as well, making the cost of homeownership even more daunting.

Nationally, mortgage debt has been on an upward trend over the past few years. To determine the states adding the most mortgage debt, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on proprietary data from Q3 2025 to Q4 2025.

John Kiernan, WalletHub Editor

1. Main Findings
2. In-Depth Look at the States Adding the Most Mortgage Debt
3. Tips for Paying off Mortgage Debt
4. Methodology

Note: *No. 1 = Largest Mortgage Debt Increase

Alaska added the most mortgage debt from Q3 2025 to Q4 2025, at least in percentage terms, with the average balance rising by 2.52% to $248,013. While this may not seem like a large increase, it’s a lot when you consider the fact that only two states had an increase above 2%. In fact, 19 states even saw mortgage debt decrease during Q4.

In addition to having the biggest increase in the average mortgage balance, Alaska residents still carry significant mortgage balances in general. As a result, their average monthly payment stands at $2078.

In addition to a high amount of mortgage debt, Alaska residents also have to deal with relatively high property tax rates on their homes.

Delaware residents added the second-most mortgage debt from Q3 2025 to Q4 2025, with a 2.51% increase that brought the average balance in the state to $210,542.

The average homeowner in Delaware can expect to shell out $1,689 per month toward the cost of their mortgage, which is considerably lower than the top state. Delaware only ranks 33rd in the country when it comes to general affordability for its residents.

Maine added the third-most mortgage debt from Q3 2025 to Q4 2025 with average balances rising by 1.98%. While this marks a solid uptick, it was still noticeably lower than the increases seen in the top two states.

This increase moved the average mortgage balance in Maine to $209,936, reflecting a steady rise in homeowner debt levels. As a result, the average homeowner in the state can expect to pay about $1,723 per month toward their mortgage.

• Make extra payments: Consider making additional payments toward your mortgage whenever possible. Even small extra payments can add up over time and significantly reduce the total interest paid. Check with your lender to ensure there are no prepayment penalties, and if not, allocate extra funds toward the principal to accelerate your mortgage payoff.
• Switch to biweekly payments: Instead of making monthly payments, switch to a biweekly payment schedule. This results in 26 half-payments (or 13 full payments) per year instead of the usual 12. Over time, this can shave years off your mortgage term and save you money on interest.
• Use windfalls strategically: Apply unexpected windfalls, such as tax refunds, work bonuses, or inheritance money, toward your mortgage. Using these extra funds to make lump-sum payments can make a significant impact on reducing the outstanding balance and shortening the overall repayment period.
• Consider refinancing: If current market conditions are favorable and interest rates have dropped since you initially took out your mortgage, explore the option of refinancing. Refinancing your mortgage to a lower interest rate can lead to significant long-term savings.
• Review and Trim Your Budget: Regularly review your budget and identify areas where you can cut unnecessary expenses. Redirecting even small amounts from non-essential spending toward your mortgage can add up over the years.

In order to determine the states with the largest mortgage debt increases, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions: 1) Change in Mortgage Debt and 2) Average Mortgage Balance & Monthly Payment.

We evaluated the states using three individual metrics, which drew from WalletHub’s proprietary data on consumer debt. The metrics are listed below with their corresponding weights, each metric being graded on a 100-point scale.

Finally, we determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

• Mortgage Debt Average Balance (per Tradeline) Change Q4 2025 vs Q3 2025: Full Weight (~70.00 Points)

• Mortgage Debt Average Balance (per Tradeline) Q4 2025: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Average Monthly Mortgage Payment (per Tradeline) Q4 2025: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)

  Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of April 2, 2026 from WalletHub database.

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Drug abuse has a long and storied history in the United States, and we’ve been “at war” with it for decades. Yet despite the country’s best efforts to fight it, the problem is still prevalent. There were more than 68,400 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in October 2025, according to the CDC.

It’s crucial for the government to address this issue and prevent it from getting any worse. The government must also deal with the changing landscape of drug use, as newer drugs like fentanyl become more widespread. In fact, the DEA seized the equivalent of more than 369 million lethal doses of fentanyl in 2025.

To determine where drug abuse is most pronounced and which areas are most at risk, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 20 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescription use and employee drug testing laws.

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

1. Main Findings
2. In-Depth Look at the States With the Biggest Drug Problems
3. Blue States vs. Red States
4. Ask the Experts
5. Methodology

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of a state, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that category.  

[edu-info-graphic metrics="[edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171546/metric-1.png' header='% of Teenage Drug Users*' left='Highest | 1. New Mexico | 2. Maine | 3. Vermont | 4. Delaware | 5. Massachusetts' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference | New Mexico vs. Utah' right='Lowest | 47. Texas | 48. Wyoming | 49. Iowa | 50. South Dakota | 51. Utah'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171547/metric-2.png' header='% of Teenagers Who Were Offered, Sold, Or Given An Illegal Drug On School Property' left='Highest | 1. California | 2. Nevada | 3. Georgia | 4. New Jersey | 5. Hawaii' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 4x Difference | California vs. Connecticut' right='Lowest | 44. Wisconsin | 45. Massachusetts | 46. Virginia | 47. South Dakota | 48. Connecticut'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171548/metric-3.png' header='% of Adult Drug Users*' left='Highest | 1. Vermont | 2. New Mexico | 3. Maine | 4. District of Columbia | 5. Oregon' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference | Vermont vs. Utah' right='Lowest | 47. Alabama | 48. Iowa | 49. Wyoming | 50. Texas | 51. Utah'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171549/metric-4.png' header='Opioid Prescriptions per 100 People' left='Most | 1. Arkansas | 2. Alabama | 3. Mississippi | 4. Louisiana | 5. Tennessee' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 3x Difference | Arkansas vs. Hawaii' right='Fewest | 47. Minnesota | 48. New York | 49. New Jersey | 50. California | 51. Hawaii'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171550/metric-5.png' header='Overdose Deaths per Capita' left='Most | 1. West Virginia | 2. Alaska | 3. District of Columbia | 4. Washington | 5. New Mexico' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 6x Difference | West Virginia vs. Nebraska' right='Fewest | 47. North Dakota | 48. Arkansas | 49. Iowa | 50. South Dakota | 51. Nebraska'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171551/metric-6.png' header='Drug Arrests per Capita' left='Most | T-1. South Dakota | T-1. Wyoming | T-1. North Dakota | 4. Idaho | 5. Mississippi' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 10x Difference | South Dakota vs. Hawaii' right='Fewest | 47. Maryland | 48. Alaska | 49. Connecticut | 50. Massachusetts | 51. Hawaii'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171552/metric-7.png' header='% of Adults with Unmet Drug-Treatment Needs*' left='Highest | 1. California | 2. Georgia | 3. Illinois | 4. Alaska | 5. District of Columbia' right='Lowest | 47. Wyoming | 48. Pennsylvania | 49. Kentucky | 50. Utah | 51. West Virginia'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171553/metric-8.png' header='Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 Drug Users' left='Fewest | 1. Texas | 2. South Carolina | 3. Nevada | 4. Florida | 5. District of Columbia' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 6x Difference | Texas vs. Kentucky' right='Most | 47. Nebraska | T-48. North Dakota | T-48. Utah | T-48. Wyoming | T-48. Kentucky'] || [edu-info-metric img='https://cdn.wallethub.com/wallethub/posts/171554/metric-9.png' header='People Receiving Substance Abuse Treatment per 1,000 Drug Users' left='Most | 1. Delaware | 2. South Dakota | 3. New Jersey | 4. Minnesota | 5. Wyoming' footer='Best State vs. Worst State: 100x Difference | Delaware vs. Idaho' right='Fewest | 47. West Virginia | 48. Hawaii | 49. New Hampshire | 50. Montana | 51. Idaho']"]

*Note: % of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month **Note: % of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month ***Note: People Who Needed But Did Not Receive Treatment in the Past Year

New Mexico has the biggest drug problem in the U.S., especially when it comes to teenagers. The state has the highest percentage of teens using illicit drugs and the highest share of teenagers who report having tried marijuana before age 13. New Mexico has the second-highest share of adults who use illicit drugs, as well.

New Mexico also lags behind other states when it comes to putting policies in place to discourage drug use or help people overcome it. For example, the state does not have employee drug testing laws, and it has the 13th-lowest share of Medicaid patients with addiction who were treated for marijuana use. It also has the eighth-highest share of children who lived with anyone who had a problem with alcohol or drugs.

Most importantly, New Mexico has a large number of drug overdose deaths per capita, highlighting the severity of the drug crisis in the state.

Arkansas has the second-biggest drug problem, which is highlighted by the fact that it has the 10th-largest share of high school students who report being offered, sold, or given illegal drugs on school property and the second-most college campus drug arrests per capita.

The Natural State has the ninth-lowest number of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health social workers and counselors per capita, which makes it more difficult for people with drug problems to get the help they need.

The widespread use of prescription opioids is a major concern in the state. It has the highest number of opioid prescriptions dispensed per 100 people, suggesting that these medications are more commonly given out here than in any other state.

Alaska has the third-biggest drug problem, and it has the ninth-highest percentage of students who were offered, sold or given an illegal drug on school property, at nearly 30% (during the latest year for which data is available). In addition, the state has the second-highest share of teenagers who report that they tried marijuana before age 13.

Alaska also ranks poorly in terms of the impact of substance abuse on its population. It has the second-highest number of drug overdose deaths in the country and experienced the sixth-highest year-over-year increase in such fatalities. In addition, the state has the highest share of children who have lived with someone struggling with alcohol or drug problems and a high percentage of adults who don’t receive treatment for their drug problems.

For a better understanding of America’s relationship with drugs and advice on what people can do if they think a friend or family member has a problem, we asked the following questions to a panel of drug-addiction experts. You can find their bios and responses below.

1. What are the most effective measures state and local authorities can take to combat the opioid epidemic?
2. Why do American doctors over prescribe pain medication? To what degree is this responsible for the current epidemic?
3. What should family or friends do if they suspect someone has a drug problem?
4. Should the federal government require all rehab facilities to accept Medicaid as a form of payment? What other steps should Federal officials take to improve access to treatment?

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• Edward M. Bednarczyk PharmD, FCCP, FAPhA - Clinical Associate Professor Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences - University at Buffalo
• Gene M. Heyman Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience - Boston College
• Lori Ann Post Ph.D. – Director, Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) - Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics; Buehler Professor of Geriatric Medicine; Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Social Sciences (Determinants of Health) – Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
• Maryann Mason Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Director, Illinois Violent Death Reporting System; Director, Illinois Statewide Drug Overdose Reporting System, Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine – Northwestern University
• Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar MD, MPH – Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health – University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• Jennifer Murphy Ph.D. – Associate Professor and Chair of Criminal Justice – Penn State Berks

In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in three overall categories: 1) Drug Use & Addiction, 2) Law Enforcement and 3) Drug Health Issues & Rehab.

Those categories include a total of 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the biggest drug problem.

We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score. This total score was the basis for our final ranking. So the state ranked 1st in this study has the biggest drug problem, based on the data at hand, while the state ranked 51st has the smallest drug problem.

• Share of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Double Weight (~6.25 Points)
• Share of Teenagers Who Tried Marijuana Before Age 13: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
• Share of Teenagers Offered, Sold or Given an Illegal Drug on School Property in the Past Year: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
• Share of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~9.38 Points)
• Share of Children Who Lived with Anyone Who Had a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)
• Number of Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per 100 People: Double Weight (~6.25 Points)
• Number of Clandestine Drug Laboratories or Dumpsites: Full Weight (~3.13 Points) Note: The square root of the population was used to calculate the “Number of Residents” in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
• Overdose Deaths per Capita: Quadruple Weight (~12.50 Points)
• Overdose Deaths Growth: Full Weight (~3.13 Points)

• Drug Arrests per Capita: Half Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Drug Arrests on College Campuses per 1,000 Students: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
• Maternity Drug Policy (Is Substance Abuse During Pregnancy a Crime?): Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
• States with Employee Drug Testing Laws: Full Weight (~7.14 Points) Note: This binary metric measures whether employee drug testing is or is not authorized in a state.

• Share of Adults Who Couldn’t Get Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points) Note: This metric measures the share of adults who needed but didn’t receive treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.
• Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People Using Illicit Drugs: Double Weight (~5.00 Points) Note: This metric considers people aged 12 or older.
• Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services per 1,000 People Using Illicit Drugs: Full Weight (~2.50 Points) Note: This metric considers people aged 12 or older.
• Drug Treatment Programs Availability for Pregnant Women: Full Weight (~2.50 Points) Note: This binary metric measures the availability or absence of drug treatment programs for pregnant women in a state.
• Share of Medicaid Beneficiaries Treated for Substance Use Disorders: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Narcotics Anonymous & Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Accessibility: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of April 1, 2026 from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, U.S. Department of Education - Office of Postsecondary Education, Guttmacher Institute, OHS Health & Safety Services, Recovery.org and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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