Nearly 10% of New Hampshire borrowers are 90-plus days behind on credit cards, near Great Recession levels. Mortgages are mostly paid.

A little news with your coffee, and it comes on a split screen. New Hampshire's Department of Employment Security analyzed consumer debt data for the first quarter of 2025, the most recent state-level information available, and found nearly 12% of New Hampshire borrowers have severely delinquent debt, New Hampshire Public Radio reports. Severely delinquent means a bill at least 90 days past due. Nearly 10% of Granite State borrowers are that far behind on credit card payments, similar to the rate between 2006 and 2010, leading up to and during the Great Recession. Severely delinquent auto loans have climbed to 4.6%, though they haven't reached the recession-era peak of 6%. The state's rates are lower than the nation's, but the trend is the same. Now the other half of the screen: Granite Staters are mostly meeting their mortgage, home equity and student loan payments. Greg David, assistant director of the state's Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, says that points to a "K-shaped" economy, two trends diverging at the same time. "A house is a big asset. It's going to build equity for you and your family, so those tend to be wealthier households," he said. The strain shows up among people who don't own a home. David also calls low mortgage delinquency a good sign for the economy overall. "The Great Recession was caused by mortgage debt," he said. Store-owner math: a customer who pays the big bill on time and lets the small ones slide isn't careless. He's triaging. That's what these numbers look like. Kitchen-table translation: if a card balance is growing faster than you can pay it down, call the issuer early and ask about a hardship plan, before a missed payment turns into a 90-day one. And note the dates: a fall report on early 2025 numbers tells you how slowly official statistics reach Main Street. Your statement shows up every month.