Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
Homeowners across the U.S. are facing mounting financial pressures as inflation has driven up the costs of essential goods and services, including housing.
With home prices remaining near all-time highs, it is increasingly difficult for many households to afford their mortgage payments and property taxes. Rising insurance costs add further strain to this situation, stretching budgets thin and raising concerns about the sustainability of homeownership.
While the COVID-19 pandemic briefly shaped housing policy with protections like mortgage forbearance, the challenges homeowners face today are driven less by temporary disruptions and more by persistent affordability issues.
The housing market plays a crucial role in the broader economy, influencing consumer spending and financial security. As homeowners now face rising costs and financial pressures, these challenges could have far-reaching implications for economic growth and stability.
With this in mind, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Census Bureau, and Zillow to reveal the locations most affected by rising mortgage delinquencies nationwide. For more information, refer to the methodology at the end.
Here are the major U.S. cities where the most homeowners are behind on their mortgages.
20. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.0%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 5.0%
- Median home value: $271,987
- Median household income: $68,921
19. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.0%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 5.7%
- Median home value: $267,630
- Median household income: $72,574
18. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.1%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Median home value: $511,376
- Median household income: $83,330
17. Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 3.8%
- Median home value: $292,080
- Median household income: $77,947
16. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Median home value: $282,383
- Median household income: $69,861
15. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Median home value: $370,698
- Median household income: $86,860
14. Pittsburgh, PA
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.8%
- Unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Median home value: $232,261
- Median household income: $72,532
13. Oklahoma City, OK
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 3.0%
- Median home value: $242,817
- Median household income: $69,895
12. Cleveland, OH
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 5.2%
- Median home value: $247,131
- Median household income: $67,586
11. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 6.4%
- Median home value: $587,873
- Median household income: $87,843
10. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.0%
- Unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Median home value: $364,999
- Median household income: $79,325
9. Tulsa, OK
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.3%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 3.1%
- Median home value: $247,275
- Median household income: $65,561
8. Fresno, CA
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.3%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 8.6%
- Median home value: $407,203
- Median household income: $71,140
7. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.4%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.0%
- Unemployment rate: 3.5%
- Median home value: $385,860
- Median household income: $86,505
6. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.5%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.0%
- Unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Median home value: $385,855
- Median household income: $86,867
5. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 3.5%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.1%
- Unemployment rate: 3.8%
- Median home value: $403,320
- Median household income: $94,289
4. Birmingham, AL
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 4.0%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 0.9%
- Unemployment rate: 2.7%
- Median home value: $257,530
- Median household income: $69,284
3. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 4.2%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.3%
- Unemployment rate: 4.5%
- Median home value: $311,751
- Median household income: $79,463
2. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 4.3%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.1%
- Unemployment rate: 5.4%
- Median home value: $244,578
- Median household income: $64,025
1. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
- Percentage of mortgages 30+ days delinquent: 4.3%
- Percentage of mortgages 90+ days delinquent: 1.0%
- Unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Median home value: $284,014
- Median household income: $73,195
Methodology
The data used in this study is from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Mortgage Performance Trends dataset, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Zillow’s Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics.
To determine the locations with the most mortgage delinquencies, researchers ranked locations based on the percentage of mortgages at least 30 days delinquent as of December 2024. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater percentage of mortgages at least 90 days delinquent was ranked higher.
For additional context, researchers also included the average seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (as of July 2025), the median household income for 2023, as well as the most recent ZHVI.
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