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Mortgage balances shown on consumer credit reports grew by $11 billion during the fourth quarter of 2024 and totaled $12.61 trillion at the end of December. Balances on home equity lines of credit (HELOC) rose by $9 billion, the eleventh consecutive quarterly increase after 2022Q1, and there is now $396 billion in aggregate outstanding balances, $79 billion above the series low reached in the first quarter of 2022. Credit card balances, which now total $1.21 trillion outstanding, grew by $45 billion during the fourth quarter and are 4.0% above the level a year ago. Auto loan balances rose by $11 billion, and now stand at $1.66 trillion. Other balances, which include retail cards and other consumer loans, grew by $8 billion. Student loan balances grew by $9 billion, and now stand at $1.62 trillion. In total, non-housing balances grew by $73 billion, a 1.5% rise from 2024Q3.
Credit card balances, which now total $1.21 trillion outstanding, grew by $45 billion during the fourth quarter and are 4.0% above the level a year ago. Auto loan balances rose by $11 billion, and now stand at $1.66 trillion. Other balances, which include retail cards and other consumer loans, grew by $8 billion. Student loan balances grew by $9 billion, and now stand at $1.62 trillion. In total, non-housing balances grew by $73 billion, a 1.5% rise from 2024Q3.
Aggregate delinquency rates increased slightly in the fourth quarter of 2024. As of December, 3.6 percent of outstanding debt was in some stage of delinquency, up from 3.5 percent in the third quarter. Transition into early delinquency held steady for nearly all debt types; the exception was for credit card balances, which saw a small uptick in the rate at which balances went from current to delinquent. Transition into serious delinquency, defined as 90 or more days past due, edged up for auto loans, credit cards, and HELOC balances but remained stable for mortgages.