Mortgage delinquencies increased across all stages, with early-stage delinquencies rising by 30.9% year-over-year in January 2026, according to the latest edition of CreditGauge™ from VantageScore. Credit originations increased modestly over the same period, as consumers increased leverage to better navigate the economic stress they perceive. The notable exception was credit card lending, where originations declined as credit card issuers tightened lending standards. The average VantageScore 4.0 credit score held steady at 700.
The broad-based rise in early-stage credit delinquencies across VantageScore credit tiers underscores persistent macroeconomic pressures, particularly for more vulnerable borrowers,” said Susan Fahy, EVP and Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer at VantageScore. “Sustained cost pressures and interest rates may leave some consumers increasingly exposed to future economic shocks.
Watch CreditGauge LIVE for additional key insights from the January 2026 edition of CreditGauge that include:
MORTGAGE DELINQUENCIES INCREASE: Year-over-year, mortgage delinquencies increased across all Days Past Due (DPD) stages on a relative basis, with the early-stage (30–59 DPD) rising sharply by 30.9%, followed by late-stage (90–119 DPD) increasing by 14.6% and mid-stage (60–89 DPD) up by 9.06%. This is the most notable deterioration across credit products, signaling gradually building repayment pressure in the housing segment.
EARLY-STAGE CREDIT DELINQUENCIES INCREASE ACROSS ALL VANTAGESCORE CREDIT TIERS: Early-stage delinquencies rose year-over-year across VantageScore Subprime (+10.6%), Nearprime (+15.5%), Prime (+22.8%) and Superprime (+26.2%) borrowers. Overall, 30–59 Days-Past-Due (DPD) delinquencies reached 1.14% in January 2026, continuing a gradual upward trend. Despite stronger relative growth in VantageScore Prime and Superprime segments, absolute delinquency levels remain low.
CREDIT ORIGINATIONS INCREASE MONTH-OVER-MONTH ACROSS LENDING PRODUCTS: Credit originations grew modestly for personal loans (+0.29%), auto loans (+0.10%), and mortgages (+0.03%), while credit card originations edged down slightly (+0.09%) in January.
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CreditGauge is a monthly analysis highlighting the overall health of U.S. consumer credit. To download this month’s full CreditGauge report, visit the VantageScore website.
