America's Best City For Money Management Skills In 2026 Is A Popular West Coast Destination
People with strong money management skills can make better use of their incomes and savings, allowing them to more effectively fund their lifestyles of choice. To determine which cities have residents with the best of these skills, WalletHub compared 2,543 U.S. cities using 10 metrics covering debt levels and financial behavior. These included credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, credit utilization, late payments, delinquency, bankruptcy, and foreclosure rates.
The city at the top of the study is Cupertino, California. Cupertino, a city of 60,000 in the heart of Silicon Valley, also offers plenty of shopping, dining, recreation, and art and culture opportunities — making it a money savvy place to live and a great place to be.
WalletHub ranked Cupertino No. 1 overall, with an overall score of 89.25 and a median credit score of 778. According to credit bureau Experian, a FICO score of 778 falls within the "very good" range, just below the "exceptional" range that begins at 800. The study also highlighted the low median credit card debt ($2,881) in connection with incomes earned (a median of $192,548). In an era when credit card debt is exploding, this debt-income combination creates a ratio of 1.5%, the country's lowest. Residents use about 25% of the credit available to them, the fifth-lowest percentage among the cities studied. This indicates that people keep their balances low, typically paying them off monthly. This skill can be especially important given that credit card debt does sneaky damage to net worth.
Cupertino has ranked highly for several years
Cupertino's 2026 showing isn't an isolated result. Mental Floss' coverage of WalletHub's 2025 study also placed Cupertino at the top. 2025's study had remarkably similar figures as well, including a median credit score of 778, a 1.5% credit card debt-to-income ratio, low credit utilization, and few delinquent payments. The Cameron Journal's coverage of WalletHub's 2024 results also placed Cupertino at the top. Taken together, the rankings show that Cupertino has repeatedly scored highly on WalletHub's measures of money management.
People who live in Cupertino and those who use it as a vacation destination spot have plenty to enjoy in this city. From tech treasures like the Apple Park Visitor Center where people can immerse themselves in the world of Apple to gorgeous parks like the Rancho San Antonio Preserve with incredible views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Cupertino is rich in indoor and outdoor activities. Main Street Cupertino overflows with shopping and dining opportunities in a unique mixed-use neighborhood. Cupertino is also known for seasonal festivals that highlight diverse cultures, including its Cherry Blossom Festival and Diwali Festival of Lights celebration.