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With the Holidays Here, Kohl’s Is the Most Popular Store Card in Americans’ Wallets

Updated on:

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Gift-buying season is here, so shoppers may be inundated more than usual with on-the-spot offers for retail credit cards. The latest LendingTree study of store card usage across the 100 largest U.S. metros reveals which cards are the most popular, which areas have the most cardholders and where cards are most likely to get maxed out.

Choosing the right store card is all about doing your homework to make an informed decision, says Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief credit analyst.

“People tend to make bad decisions when rushed, and that can certainly be the case with credit cards,” Schulz says. For this reason, we include tips on how to utilize store cards this holiday season.

On this page

Key findings
Most popular store cards: Kohl’s, Lowe’s and Amazon
Store cards most common in Tennessee, Louisiana metros
Where average store card limits are the highest and lowest
Nearly 1 in 5 residents in Bakersfield, Calif., have a maxed-out store card — here’s a look at the most populous metros
How to utilize a store card this holiday season
Methodology

Key findings

The most popular store card across the 100 largest metros is from Kohl’s. Based on an analysis of anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users, 9.5% of all store cards held by these users are from Kohl’s. Lowe’s (6.3%) and Amazon (6.2%) follow.
Store cards are most common in Tennessee and Louisiana. More than 40% of cardholders have at least one store card in just four metros — and they’re in these two states. Nashville, Tenn., tops the list, with 47.5% of credit cardholders having a store card, followed by Baton Rouge, La. (47.2%), Knoxville, Tenn. (46.0%), and New Orleans (45.2%). Two California metros — San Francisco (12.3%) and San Jose (12.4%) — are at the bottom.
The average credit limit for store cardholders across the 100 largest metros is $2,241. The average is highest in Kansas City ($3,255), Albany, N.Y. ($2,969), and Omaha, Neb. ($2,916). The average is lowest in Little Rock, Ark. ($1,686), Harrisburg, Pa. ($1,733), and Fresno, Calif. ($1,765).
Nearly 1 in 5 (17.1%) credit cardholders in Bakersfield, Calif., have at least one maxed-out store card. The closest metros to Bakersfield are Scranton, Pa. (14.9%), and Ogden, Utah (14.3%). At the bottom among the 100 metros are Syracuse, N.Y. (5.5%), Raleigh, N.C. (5.8%), and Albany, N.Y. (5.9%).

Most popular store cards: Kohl’s, Lowe’s and Amazon

The king of store cards in the U.S., based on the anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users, is Kohl’s, representing 9.5% of all retail cards. With more than 1,100 retail locations across the U.S.., it makes sense. Rounding out the top five are Lowe’s, Amazon and Macy’s (each representing just over 6% of all store cards), with Target just behind at 5.3%.

What makes these cards so popular are their generous, ongoing rewards for cardholders, not to mention the overall popularity of the stores. For example, Schulz says the Prime Visa is probably the best store card in the country.

Cardholders can earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. The card also comes with a valuable sign-up bonus: Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

The Kohl's Charge card is known for its cardholder perks, and likely reels in many shoppers with its generous sign-up bonus. Once approved, take an extra 35% off your first purchase in-store or online when you use your Kohl's Charge card. However, it’s also followed up by monthly exclusive discounts, an anniversary promotion and more, making it wallet-worthy.

Both the MyLowe’s Rewards Credit Card and Target Circle™ Card offer an automatic 5% discount on eligible purchases, which can add up if you’re a frequent shopper. And shoppers enjoy perks like free shipping and points-earning on purchases.

Rank	Store card	Percentage of all store cards
1	Kohl’s	9.5%
2	Lowe's	6.3%
3	Amazon	6.2%
4	Macy’s	6.1%
5	Target	5.3%
6	Victoria Secret	4.7%
7	Best Buy	4.4%
8	JCPenney	4.1%
9	Fingerhut Fetti	3.7%
10	Walmart	3.6%

Source: Analysis of about 300,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users in the 100 most populous U.S. metros.

Store cards most common in Tennessee, Louisiana metros

The metro where the highest percentage of people have store credit cards — nearly 1 in 2 — is Nashville, Tenn. (47.5%). Next is Baton Rouge, La. (47.2%), Knoxville, Tenn. (46.0%), and New Orleans (45.2%), making Tennessee and Louisiana the biggest hubs for retail cards.

“Both of those states are among the lowest-ranked in the country when it comes to credit scores and household income,” Schulz says. “That could mean that many of those states’ residents may not have other credit options better than store cards, which are typically easier to get and more available to folks with imperfect credit than most regular credit cards.”

Four New York metros are also in the top 10 — Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Poughkeepsie.

At the bottom of the list are two California metros — San Francisco (12.3%) and San Jose (12.4%) — followed by Atlanta (12.5%) and Seattle (14.0%). Miami and Jacksonville also represent Florida in the bottom 10.

Higher incomes and/or higher credit scores in San Francisco and San Jose might play a role, Schulz says. For instance, a 2021 FICO Score study found that San Francisco residents had an average credit score of 746 — highest in the U.S. and well above the national average of 716. The two California metros also have the highest median household incomes in the U.S.

“Though higher incomes don’t always mean higher credit scores, they often mean more options when it comes to credit,” Schulz says. “In many of these metros, I’d suspect that lots of folks simply don’t need to use a store credit card and choose to use other cards in pursuit of better interest rates and more lucrative rewards.”

Rank	Metro	Percentage of credit cardholders with at least 1 store card
1	Nashville, TN	47.5%
2	Baton Rouge, LA	47.2%
3	Knoxville, TN	46.0%
4	New Orleans, LA	45.2%
5	Rochester, NY	38.2%
6	Buffalo, NY	37.0%
7	El Paso, TX	36.8%
8	Syracuse, NY	36.4%
8	Poughkeepsie, NY	36.4%
10	Memphis, TN	35.6%
11	McAllen, TX	35.0%
12	Scranton, PA	33.4%
13	Albany, NY	32.9%
14	Omaha, NE	31.3%
15	Jackson, MS	30.8%
16	Toledo, OH	30.1%
17	Bakersfield, CA	29.7%
18	New Haven, CT	29.4%
18	Akron, OH	29.4%
20	Pittsburgh, PA	29.1%
21	Riverside, CA	28.5%
22	Providence, RI	28.1%
23	Stockton, CA	27.4%
23	Cleveland, OH	27.4%
25	Harrisburg, PA	27.3%
26	Allentown, PA	27.2%
27	Fresno, CA	27.1%
28	Oklahoma City, OK	27.0%
29	Cincinnati, OH	26.8%
29	Grand Rapids, MI	26.8%
31	Little Rock, AR	26.8%
32	Hartford, CT	26.7%
33	Dayton, OH	26.4%
33	Madison, WI	26.4%
35	San Antonio, TX	26.3%
36	Columbus, OH	26.2%
37	Lakeland, FL	25.9%
38	Springfield, MA	25.8%
39	Louisville, KY	25.7%
40	Worcester, MA	25.5%
41	Des Moines, IA	25.3%
42	Chicago, IL	25.1%
43	Wichita, KS	25.0%
44	St. Louis, MO	24.9%
44	Tucson, AZ	24.9%
46	New York, NY	24.6%
47	Deltona, FL	24.4%
48	Indianapolis, IN	24.1%
49	Winston-Salem, NC	23.9%
50	Kansas City, MO	23.7%
51	Detroit, MI	23.6%
52	Spokane, WA	23.5%
53	Colorado Springs, CO	23.4%
53	Cape Coral, FL	23.4%
53	Milwaukee, WI	23.4%
56	Albuquerque, NM	23.3%
56	Palm Bay, FL	23.3%
58	Philadelphia, PA	23.1%
59	Birmingham, AL	23.0%
60	Phoenix, AZ	22.9%
60	Boise, ID	22.9%
62	Oxnard, CA	22.6%
63	Greenville, SC	22.5%
64	Virginia Beach, VA	22.4%
65	Tulsa, OK	21.6%
66	Richmond, VA	21.5%
67	Las Vegas, NV	21.3%
68	Tampa, FL	21.0%
69	Dallas, TX	20.9%
70	Minneapolis, MN	20.8%
71	Houston, TX	20.4%
71	Augusta, GA	20.4%
73	Sacramento, CA	20.2%
74	Honolulu, HI	20.1%
74	Greensboro, NC	20.1%
76	Charleston, SC	19.9%
77	Bridgeport, CT	19.3%
78	Orlando, FL	19.2%
79	Los Angeles, CA	18.9%
79	Charlotte, NC	18.9%
79	San Diego, CA	18.9%
79	Columbia, SC	18.9%
83	Austin, TX	18.8%
83	North Port, FL	18.8%
85	Ogden, UT	18.6%
86	Baltimore, MD	18.2%
86	Boston, MA	18.2%
88	Denver, CO	18.1%
89	Portland, OR	18.0%
90	Provo, UT	17.4%
91	Raleigh, NC	17.3%
91	Jacksonville, FL	17.3%
93	Miami, FL	16.9%
94	Salt Lake City, UT	16.7%
95	Durham, NC	16.4%
96	Washington, DC	14.9%
97	Seattle, WA	14.0%
98	Atlanta, GA	12.5%
99	San Jose, CA	12.4%
100	San Francisco, CA	12.3%

Source: Analysis of about 300,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users in the 100 most populous U.S. metros.

Where average store card limits are the highest and lowest

Overall, store cardholders in the top 100 metro areas have an average credit limit of $2,241, but there’s a much wider range by metro. Kansas City has the highest in the nation at $3,255, followed by Albany, N.Y. ($2,969), and Omaha, Neb. ($2,916). Areas with the lowest store card credit limits include Little Rock, Ark. ($1,686), Harrisburg, Pa. ($1,733), and Fresno, Calif. ($1,765).

“Store credit cards don’t usually come with sky-high credit limits regardless of who applies for them,” Schulz says. However, those with lower credit scores and lower incomes will likely be offered lower credit limits when applying for a new card, he says.

With regular spending and good payment history, however, store cards increase cardholder credit limits over time.

Rank	Metro	Average credit limit among store cardholders
1	Kansas City, MO	$3,255
2	Albany, NY	$2,969
3	Omaha, NE	$2,916
4	Syracuse, NY	$2,906
5	Des Moines, IA	$2,725
6	Poughkeepsie, NY	$2,684
7	Boston, MA	$2,672
8	Charlotte, NC	$2,623
9	Buffalo, NY	$2,545
10	Dallas, TX	$2,544
11	Rochester, NY	$2,539
12	New York, NY	$2,516
13	Raleigh, NC	$2,515
14	Charleston, SC	$2,497
15	Honolulu, HI	$2,474
16	Miami, FL	$2,466
17	Oxnard, CA	$2,419
18	North Port, FL	$2,408
19	Birmingham, AL	$2,378
20	Washington, DC	$2,359
21	Akron, OH	$2,358
22	San Jose, CA	$2,355
23	Columbus, OH	$2,345
24	Austin, TX	$2,344
25	Philadelphia, PA	$2,343
26	Jacksonville, FL	$2,335
27	Atlanta, GA	$2,321
28	St. Louis, MO	$2,311
29	Ogden, UT	$2,305
29	Salt Lake City, UT	$2,305
31	Providence, RI	$2,290
32	Greenville, SC	$2,289
32	Wichita, KS	$2,289
34	Baton Rouge, LA	$2,285
35	Pittsburgh, PA	$2,282
36	Virginia Beach, VA	$2,276
37	Orlando, FL	$2,269
38	Oklahoma City, OK	$2,267
38	San Francisco, CA	$2,267
40	Grand Rapids, MI	$2,263
41	Houston, TX	$2,257
42	Chicago, IL	$2,252
42	New Orleans, LA	$2,252
42	Winston-Salem, NC	$2,252
45	Nashville, TN	$2,251
45	New Haven, CT	$2,251
47	Cape Coral, FL	$2,247
48	Dayton, OH	$2,237
49	Milwaukee, WI	$2,231
50	Knoxville, TN	$2,229
51	Hartford, CT	$2,216
52	Tampa, FL	$2,213
53	Colorado Springs, CO	$2,211
54	Richmond, VA	$2,209
55	Palm Bay, FL	$2,207
56	Cleveland, OH	$2,205
57	Scranton, PA	$2,198
58	McAllen, TX	$2,191
59	Columbia, SC	$2,190
60	Allentown, PA	$2,187
61	Cincinnati, OH	$2,183
62	Deltona, FL	$2,180
63	Indianapolis, IN	$2,174
63	Las Vegas, NV	$2,174
65	Provo, UT	$2,169
66	Augusta, GA	$2,151
67	Greensboro, NC	$2,142
68	Worcester, MA	$2,140
69	Baltimore, MD	$2,129
70	Sacramento, CA	$2,128
71	Denver, CO	$2,125
72	Phoenix, AZ	$2,120
73	San Antonio, TX	$2,112
74	Madison, WI	$2,107
75	Durham, NC	$2,104
76	Seattle, WA	$2,100
77	Memphis, TN	$2,087
78	Detroit, MI	$2,072
79	Minneapolis, MN	$2,068
80	Toledo, OH	$2,064
81	Bakersfield, CA	$2,052
82	Los Angeles, CA	$2,047
83	Bridgeport, CT	$2,044
84	Lakeland, FL	$2,022
85	Jackson, MS	$2,018
86	Albuquerque, NM	$2,002
87	San Diego, CA	$1,986
88	Spokane, WA	$1,980
89	Tulsa, OK	$1,949
90	Riverside, CA	$1,943
91	Boise, ID	$1,935
91	Louisville, KY	$1,935
93	El Paso, TX	$1,912
94	Stockton, CA	$1,899
95	Portland, OR	$1,894
96	Springfield, MA	$1,891
97	Tucson, AZ	$1,856
98	Fresno, CA	$1,765
99	Harrisburg, PA	$1,733
100	Little Rock, AR	$1,686

Source: Analysis of about 300,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users in the 100 most populous U.S. metros.

Nearly 1 in 5 residents in Bakersfield, Calif., have a maxed-out store card — here’s a look at the most populous metros

Bakersfield, Calif., store cardholders aren’t managing their store cards well, with 17.1% of them having maxed-out balances. Right behind them are Scranton, Pa. (14.9%), and Ogden, Utah (14.3%), cardholders. The metros least likely to have a maxed-out store card are Syracuse, N.Y. (5.5%), Raleigh, N.C. (5.8%), and Albany, N.Y. (5.9%).

One thing worth noting is that store cards generally start with fairly low limits. And in areas that tend to have lower-income or credit-challenged folks applying, those initial offers may be even lower. So even a balance that doesn’t seem so terrible — say, a couple of hundred dollars — could quickly approach maxed-out territory.

Rank	Metro	Percentage of store cardholders with at least 1 maxed-out store card
1	Bakersfield, CA	17.1%
2	Scranton, PA	14.9%
3	Ogden, UT	14.3%
4	Provo, UT	14.1%
5	Salt Lake City, UT	13.4%
6	Little Rock, AR	13.2%
7	El Paso, TX	12.9%
8	Winston-Salem, NC	12.5%
9	Virginia Beach, VA	12.4%
10	Spokane, WA	12.1%
11	Deltona, FL	12.0%
12	Stockton, CA	11.9%
13	Knoxville, TN	11.7%
14	Wichita, KS	11.6%
14	Louisville, KY	11.6%
14	Greenville, SC	11.6%
17	Riverside, CA	11.5%
17	Akron, OH	11.5%
19	San Antonio, TX	11.4%
19	Fresno, CA	11.4%
21	Los Angeles, CA	11.3%
22	Nashville, TN	11.2%
22	Lakeland, FL	11.2%
24	Oklahoma City, OK	11.0%
25	Birmingham, AL	10.8%
25	Durham, NC	10.8%
27	Orlando, FL	10.7%
28	Omaha, NE	10.5%
29	Richmond, VA	10.4%
29	Hartford, CT	10.4%
29	Augusta, GA	10.4%
32	San Diego, CA	10.2%
32	Pittsburgh, PA	10.2%
34	Tulsa, OK	10.0%
35	Portland, OR	9.9%
35	Las Vegas, NV	9.9%
37	Milwaukee, WI	9.8%
37	Springfield, MA	9.8%
37	Harrisburg, PA	9.8%
40	Grand Rapids, MI	9.6%
41	Seattle, WA	9.5%
41	Dallas, TX	9.5%
41	Jackson, MS	9.5%
44	Philadelphia, PA	9.4%
45	New Orleans, LA	9.3%
45	Oxnard, CA	9.3%
47	Toledo, OH	9.2%
48	Tucson, AZ	9.1%
48	Cleveland, OH	9.1%
48	Dayton, OH	9.1%
51	Jacksonville, FL	9.0%
51	Phoenix, AZ	9.0%
51	Indianapolis, IN	9.0%
51	Madison, WI	9.0%
51	Allentown, PA	9.0%
56	Cincinnati, OH	8.9%
56	New Haven, CT	8.9%
56	Sacramento, CA	8.9%
59	Houston, TX	8.7%
59	St. Louis, MO	8.7%
59	San Jose, CA	8.7%
59	Memphis, TN	8.7%
63	Greensboro, NC	8.6%
63	Atlanta, GA	8.6%
65	Charlotte, NC	8.5%
65	Detroit, MI	8.5%
67	North Port, FL	8.4%
67	Buffalo, NY	8.4%
69	Baton Rouge, LA	8.3%
70	Baltimore, MD	8.2%
70	Providence, RI	8.2%
72	Des Moines, IA	8.1%
72	Minneapolis, MN	8.1%
74	Chicago, IL	8.0%
74	San Francisco, CA	8.0%
76	Honolulu, HI	7.9%
77	Columbia, SC	7.8%
77	Colorado Springs, CO	7.8%
79	Tampa, FL	7.7%
80	New York, NY	7.6%
80	Albuquerque, NM	7.6%
80	Washington, DC	7.6%
83	Palm Bay, FL	7.5%
83	Boston, MA	7.5%
85	Worcester, MA	7.3%
85	Denver, CO	7.3%
85	Columbus, OH	7.3%
85	Austin, TX	7.3%
89	Bridgeport, CT	7.2%
89	Boise, ID	7.2%
91	Charleston, SC	7.1%
91	Miami, FL	7.1%
93	Kansas City, MO	7.0%
94	McAllen, TX	6.8%
95	Cape Coral, FL	6.7%
96	Poughkeepsie, NY	6.1%
97	Rochester, NY	6.0%
98	Albany, NY	5.9%
99	Raleigh, NC	5.8%
100	Syracuse, NY	5.5%

Source: Analysis of about 300,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users in the 100 most populous U.S. metros.

How to utilize a store card this holiday season

When shopping for the holidays, being strategic with your credit cards, including store cards, can help you save money, earn rewards and stretch your budget. However, you always want to tread carefully whenever applying for a new credit card. Here’s what you need to know.

Don’t get baited by the initial discount offered. Last holiday season, a LendingTree survey found that just 29% of people planned to apply for a store credit card. With high inflation, it’s not surprising that the percentage jumped to 35% this year. While initial store card discounts may be enticing, you can easily negate savings if you spend beyond your means and carry a balance, so make sure to be careful.
Only open cards for stores that you shop at frequently. “The right store credit card, used wisely in a place where you shop frequently, can be a good deal,” Schulz says. In recent years, stores have done a better job at tailoring their offerings to the needs of their customers, including offering greater discounts and more lucrative perks to those who spend more in their stores, he says. In other words, if you do the bulk of your holiday (and year-round) shopping at a particular retailer, that card is worth considering. But if you’re picking up a sweater for your nephew from a fashion brand you don’t shop otherwise, it’s not worth getting.
Plan to pay the bill in full each month. “If you carry a balance, store cards probably aren’t for you,” Schulz says. “All credit card rates are sky-high these days, but rates for store cards are even more so.” For example, while the national average APR on new credit cards is 22.40%, the APR on the is , while the MyLowe’s Rewards Credit Card APR is 31.99% variable.
Limit yourself to just one store credit card. “It’s OK to open a new store credit card while you’re out,” he says. “Just don’t do it in every store you visit.” Opening multiple lines of credit during the short holiday season will likely tank your credit score since new credit is one of the main factors impacting credit score calculations. Applying for a lot of credit at once can signal that you’re having cash flow problems. Not to mention that juggling multiple store card balances can get tough to manage.
Choose the best card for the holidays. If you’re in the market for a new card and a store card would unlock an exclusive deal, it could be worth opening. But if you’re pretty sure you won’t be able to pay holiday balances off right away, you may be better off with a regular credit card with a 0% APR introductory period.

Find your perfect card in 30 seconds. Check your approval odds so you can shop smarter.

Methodology

Analysts calculated the percentage of credit cardholders with at least one retail or store card by analyzing about 300,000 anonymized credit reports of LendingTree users in August 2022 in the 100 most populous U.S. metros.

Specifically, analysts calculated the most popular store cards, the percentage of credit cardholders with at least one store card, the average credit limit for store cards and the percentage of credit cardholders with at least one maxed-out store card.

The information related to the Kohl's Charge, MyLowe’s Rewards Credit Card and Target Circle™ Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.

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