The 20 states where people are having the most trouble paying for their homes

Louisiana is third among states with the highest increase in delinquent mortgages.

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• WalletHub ranked US states based on mortgage delinquency.
• Its list shows which states had the biggest increases in delinquent mortgages between 2025 and 2026.
• Vermont and Delaware had the highest increases, the analysis found.

In recent years, the economy hasn't been kind to homeowners and those looking to buy.

Many potential buyers simply can't afford to buy a home, with the average 30-year mortgage rate over 6%. For the people who bite the bullet on a home loan, other costs are waiting. From property taxes and insurance to repair costs, Americans — some of whom face more challenging job markets — are paying more in home expenses than a simple monthly mortgage payment.

Whatever the reasons, some homeowners are failing to pay their mortgage payments on time. When a payment is at least 30 days late, it's reported to the credit bureaus as delinquent.

A WalletHub study released this month ranked the 50 US states by where delinquent mortgages increased the most from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.

It identified each state's share of the average number of delinquent loans in the first quarter of 2026 — that is, the state's mortgage delinquency rate — and calculated how much the number of delinquent mortgages changed from the previous quarter. The study used data collected in April from WalletHub's own database.

Some states saw decreases in delinquent mortgages from the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026, with Wyoming the only state to record a double-digit decrease, at 14.41%. Nebraska and Mississippi followed, with decreases of 7.88% and 4.27%, respectively.

Most states weren't as lucky, however, and reported increases in delinquent mortgages.

See the 20 states with the highest mortgage delinquency increases, per WalletHub's study.

20. South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 10.38%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 1.63%

19. Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 6.00%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 1.94%

18. Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 10.85%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.04%

17. Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 5.81%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.07%

16. Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 9.21%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.08%

15. Oregon

Portland, Oregon.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 4.95%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.09%

14. Illinois

Chicago, Illinois.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 6.97%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.37%

13. California

Sacramento, California.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 4.81%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.53%

12. Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 7.34%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.55%

11. North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 8.57%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.70%

10. Idaho

Boise, Idaho.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 6.12%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.83%

9. Texas

Dallas, Texas.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 9.44%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 2.97%

8. Colorado

Denver, Colorado.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 5.02%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 3.29%

7. New Hampshire

Concord, New Hampshire.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 6.25%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 3.30%

6. Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 8.00%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 3.38%

5. Montana

Billings, Montana.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 5.33%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 3.71%

4. Florida

Orlando Florida.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 7.05%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 3.87%

3. Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 14.33%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 4.40%

2. Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 8.35%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 6.92%

1. Vermont

Burlington, Vermont.

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Mortgage delinquency rate in Q1 2026: 5.81%

Increase in delinquent mortgage loans from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026: 12.32%

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