CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Americans are carrying $13.12 trillion in mortgage debt, representing nearly 70% of all U.S. consumer debt, while serious mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures have been moving higher, according to a new LendingTree analysis.
Despite those increases, LendingTree found that the overwhelming majority of mortgage borrowers continue to make their payments, with just 0.99% of mortgage balances considered seriously delinquent during the second quarter of 2026.
LendingTree based its analysis on data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Consumer Credit Panel and Equifax.
Mortgage debt accounted for 69.9% of total U.S. consumer debt during the second quarter, making housing loans by far the largest component of household debt, according to LendingTree.
Outstanding mortgage debt has increased by $3.34 trillion since the second quarter of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was reshaping the housing market.
LendingTree said the increase reflects rising home prices and continued mortgage borrowing during the past six years.
More Accounts, Bigger Balances
The number of mortgage accounts also has increased.
LendingTree found there were 86.37 million mortgage accounts in the second quarter of 2026, up from 80.77 million during the same quarter in 2020.
The average mortgage balance climbed even more sharply, rising from $121,035 in the second quarter of 2020 to $151,870 in the latest quarter — an increase of about 25.5%.
LendingTree noted that consumers with joint mortgages can be counted twice if the account appears on both borrowers’ credit reports.
Serious Delinquencies Trending Higher
While mortgage performance remains relatively strong overall, LendingTree’s analysis found the percentage of mortgage debt that is seriously delinquent has been gradually increasing.
In the second quarter, 0.99% of mortgage balances were at least 90 days past due, up from 0.82% a year earlier.
The rate was 0.46% in the second quarter of 2023, with LendingTree reporting year-over-year increases for the comparable quarter since then.
Still, mortgage borrowers are performing considerably better than consumers carrying some forms of unsecured debt.
LendingTree said 12.92% of credit card balances were seriously delinquent during the second quarter of 2026, compared with less than 1% of mortgage balances.
That disparity suggests household financial stress is more concentrated among unsecured borrowers than homeowners with mortgages, according to the analysis.
Foreclosures Rise 30.6%
Foreclosure activity also has increased.
LendingTree found 227,360 consumers entered foreclosure during 2025, up 30.6% from 174,100 in 2024.
Another 114,320 consumers experienced a new foreclosure during the first six months of 2026.
Despite the increase, foreclosure activity remains substantially below levels seen a decade ago.
The 2025 total was 33% below the 339,200 new foreclosures recorded in 2016, according to LendingTree.
The combination of higher mortgage balances, gradually rising serious delinquencies and increased foreclosure activity provides signs of growing pressure on some homeowners, but LendingTree’s analysis indicates mortgage performance overall remains relatively strong, with more than 99% of mortgage balances not seriously delinquent.
