Super Prime Base Grows by 15 Million as Non-Prime DTI Rises 176 Bps
TRU•TransUnion finds super prime consumer population rose by 15 million between Q4 2019 and Q4 2025, lifting share from 36.9% to 40.7% while prime plus, prime and near-prime tiers declined. Meanwhile non-prime consumers saw non-mortgage debt-to-income ratios climb by up to 176 basis points since 2019.
1. K-Shaped Credit Divergence
TransUnion's Q1 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report highlights a K-shaped split in U.S. consumer credit risk. Between Q4 2019 and Q4 2025, the super prime tier expanded by 380 basis points to 40.7%, representing 15 million new consumers, while prime plus, prime and near-prime segments contracted by a combined 390 basis points over the same period. Subprime share remained relatively stable at 14.8%.
2. Rising Debt Burdens for Non-Prime
Non-prime consumers experienced the steepest rise in non-mortgage debt-to-income ratios, with near-prime debt servicing costs climbing 176 basis points and subprime ratios increasing 143 basis points since Q4 2019. By comparison, super prime non-mortgage DTI rose just 29 basis points. These growing obligations constrain cash flow and heighten financial strain for borrowers already facing elevated expenses and limited liquidity.
3. Lenders Adjust Credit Access
Despite heightened non-prime stress, lenders have maintained and even expanded credit access. From Q3 2019 to Q3 2025, subprime bankcard originations share rose 220 basis points, led by a 320 basis point increase among deep subprime borrowers. Meanwhile, new bankcard credit lines grew 11.5% for super prime consumers to $12,511, compared with 5.5% and 7.1% increases for deep and high subprime tiers, respectively.
