Map of the Day – Best and Worst States at Managing Money

An interesting map to share as findings from CreditCards.com Finds Upper Midwest Leads Way, Mid-Atlantic Lags  – Montana residents are the best at managing money and Marylanders are the worst, according to a new CreditCards.com analysis. 

Montana is the best state at managing money and Maryland is the worst, according to a new CreditCards.com analysis

The study compared each state’s average credit score with its median income. “Conventional wisdom is that people with more money have better credit scores, but we found this is not always the case,” said Matt Schulz, CreditCards.com’s senior industry analyst.

In Montana, for instance, the average credit score is 32 points higher than one would expect based upon the state’s median income (which is 13% below the national median). Montanans are overcoming this obstacle to post the country’s 11th-best credit score.

Best States for Money Management

1. Montana
2. South Dakota
3. North Dakota
4. Maine
5. Vermont

Maryland, the worst state at managing money, is a good example of why a high income doesn’t necessarily translate into financial success. The Old Line State has the second-highest median income in the U.S. (33% above the national median) but only the 31st-best credit score. Maryland’s average credit score is 37 points lower than its income suggests it should be.

Worst States for Money Management

47. Texas
48. Virginia
49. Alaska
50. Washington, D.C.
51. Maryland

SOURCE CreditCards.com