Missouri Ranks #22 In “Financially Literate” States Rankings
With Americans having nearly $1.4 trillion dollars in total credit card debt when 2025 ended, the personal finance website WalletHub.com put together a study of the most and least financially literate states.
The study, which included the District of Columbia, used 17 key metrics ranging from high school financial literacy grades to the share of adults/ with rainy-day funds.
In the study, Missouri ranked 22nd.
The least financially literate states were identified as Oklahoma, South Dakota and Arkansas while the most financially literate were identified as Wisconsin, Colorado and Minnesota.
Full Report:
With April recognized as National Financial Literacy Month and nearly 2 in 5 Americans say they will have more credit card debt by the end of 2026, the free credit score company WalletHub has released its report on 2026’s Most & Least Financially Literate States. The report evaluates financial-education programs and consumer habits across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, along with insights from experts.
The study is based on a data set of 17 key metrics, ranging from high-school financial literacy grades to the share of adults with rainy-day funds. It also incorporates findings from WalletHub’s WalletLiteracy Survey.
| Most Financially Literate States | Least Financially Literate States |
| 1. Minnesota | 42. District of Columbia |
| 2. Colorado | 43. New Mexico |
| 3. Wisconsin | 44. Hawaii |
| 4. New Hampshire | 45. Montana |
| 5. Virginia | 46. Mississippi |
| 6. Pennsylvania | 47. Louisiana |
| 7. Ohio | 48. Alaska |
| 8. Nebraska | 49. Oklahoma |
| 9. New Jersey | 50. South Dakota |
| 10. Maryland | 51. Arkansas |
Key Stats
- Kentucky has the lowest share of residents who spend more than they earn, which is 1.8 times lower than in New Mexico, the state with the highest.
- Pennsylvania and Minnesota have the lowest share of residents paying only the minimum on their credit card(s), which is 1.6 times lower than in West Virginia and Wyoming, the state with the highest.
- Colorado has the highest share of residents who attended financial-education classes or counseling sessions in past 12 months, which is 3.8 times higher than in West Virginia, the state with the lowest.
- Vermont and Virginia have the lowest share of unbanked households, which is 10.4 times lower than in Mississippi, the state with the highest.
To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-and-least-financially-literate-states/3337
Reporter Mike Anthony
