Floridians adept at avoiding debt

Sarasota residents are among the best in Florida at managing credit card debt, according to a recent index created by SmartAsset, a personal finance technology company.

The firm's inaugural credit card debt index ranked nearly 3,100 counties nationwide, and most Gulf Coast counties compared favorably (the top score is 100). “Scores with 90s and 80s are good,” says AJ Smith, SmartAsset's managing editor and vice president of content.

On the Gulf Coast, Sarasota came out on top, with an index of 90.44. Charlotte and Collier counties followed close behind, with 89.8 and 87.52, respectively. Hillsborough County had the lowest score in the index, at 71.73.