Consumer Credit Trends for Texas

Conclusion

This report highlights many credit trends in Texas that warrant further research. The decline in non-prime mortgage borrowers is noteworthy, especially in light of changing lending standards. The recent increases in both auto loan and credit card loan delinquency rates are also worth investigating as our state’s economic climate otherwise appears strong. Student loan debt, already a well-studied phenomenon, nevertheless deserves more attention, particularly in the context of the state’s future workforce.

When it comes to questions of inclusion, the credit economy continues to try to strike a balance between credit access for consumers and avoidance of risky lending practices. With credit invisibility on the rise since 2006, it is worth asking: who can participate in the mainstream economy and what kind of economic environment does that create in our state?

Three more reports will continue to illuminate these trends in Bexar, El Paso and Travis counties. As these reports will show, each county is unique in the consumer credit trends at play and the factors that may help explain this variation.