December credit card debt dropped in every state

Last year saw a marked decline in overall credit card debt, according to a report released Tuesday by CreditKarma.com. On a more local level, markets noted a drop in average debt loads across every state. Specifically, credit card debt fell by 11 percent nationally to reach $6,576. Since November, however, a mere nine states paid down their credit card debt, six of which were by one percent or less. Nationally, credit scores fell eight points since last year to reach an average 660 points. California (679), Massachusetts (679) and New Jersey (679) continue to tie for the best credit scores in the nation. States with the lowest average scores include Mississippi (622), Louisiana (635), Arkansas (635) and South Carolina (635). "The new year typically inspires consumers to get in control of their finances, especially after the bout of holiday spending that occurred in December," said Ken Lin, CEO of CreditKarma.com. "Starting in January, you'll see consumers start focusing on decreasing debt." However, a number of analysts have worried that holiday-induced debt will tighten their credit decisions and lead to further slowdowns in consumer spending.