Statistics, Facts & Such

The United States has 71% of all worldwide revolving credit cards.

The volume of checks is increasing by 1.5 million a year-in 1996 that would be over 65 million checks processed by U.S. financial institutions.

40% of U.S. consumers use cash at retail food outlets; 39% us checks; 14% use ATM debit cards.

The General Accounting Office in their June, 1997 Report and Testimony, say that during 1996 the number of ATMs imposing surcharges went from 15,400 machines to 64,400. The typical charge was $1, and the maximum was $3.

The FTC estimates consumers lose $40 billion a year in telephone fraud.

Home ownership in the U.S. has reached a new high of over 65% of all households, with 72% of suburban families who own. 49% of city households are inhabited by owners.

According to a Harvard University housing study, 30% of new mortgages between 1993 and 1996 were granted to minorities- 460,000 to Hispanics (up 16%), 350,000 to Blacks (up 7.5%) 182,000 to a demographic group including Asians, American Indians and Pacific Islanders (up 11.8%). Whites bought 2.4 million homes (up 4.5%)

5.22% of credit card loans were charged off in the second quarter of 1997-the highest credit card charge off rate ever recorded. The 367,000 personal bankruptcy filings in the second quarter also set a record.

There have been no FDIC insured bank failures during the last 12 months. The last time that many months passed without a bank failure was 37 years ago-1960.

Copyright © 1997 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 7, No. 10, 8/97