What’s the Average Credit Score in Each State? | Equifax (2024)

FAQs

What’s the Average Credit Score in Each State? | Equifax? ›

The average credit score in the United States is 698, based on VantageScore^® data from February 2021. It's a myth that you only have one credit score.

The average credit score in the United States is 698, based on VantageScore^® data from February 2021. It's a myth that you only have one credit score.

For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750. In 2022, the average FICO^® Score^☉ in the U.S. reached 714.

According to a report by FICO, only 23% of the scorable population has a credit score of 800 or above.

What percentage of the population has a credit score over 900? Only about 1% of people have a credit score of 850. A 900 credit score can be thought of as fairly unrealistic.

Only about 1.6% of the 232 million U.S. consumers with a credit score have a perfect 850, according to FICO's most recent statistics.

You are one of the 46% of Americans who had a score of 750 or above in 2021, according to credit scoring company FICO. Here's how your 750 credit score can affect your financial life.

In general, you'll need a credit score of at least 600 to qualify for a traditional auto loan, but the minimum credit score required to finance a car loan varies by lender. If your credit score falls into the subprime category, you may need to look for a bad credit car loan.

6 in 10 Americans have a FICO score above 700. [Source: Experian] A good credit score can potentially help you save money on your mortgage, car insurance, credit cards and many other things.

How accurate is credit karma? ›

Here's the short answer: The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma come directly from TransUnion and Equifax, two of the three major consumer credit bureaus. The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus.

While achieving a perfect 850 credit score is rare, it's not impossible. About 1.3% of consumers have one, according to Experian's latest data. FICO scores can range anywhere from 300 to 850. The average score was 714, as of 2021.

Factors that contribute to a higher credit score include a history of on-time payments, low balances on your credit cards, a mix of different credit card and loan accounts, older credit accounts, and minimal inquiries for new credit.

Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

Since the length of your credit history accounts for 15% of your credit score, negative, minimal or no credit history can stop you from reaching an 800 credit score. To solve this problem, focus on building your credit. You can do this by taking out a credit-builder loan or applying for your first credit card.

A credit score of 1,000 is not possible because credit scoring models simply do not go that high. According to Experian, some credit scoring models reach upwards of 900 or 950, but those are industry-specific scores that are only used by certain institutions.

Depending on the credit reporting agency, your score will be between zero and either 1,000 or 1,200. A higher score means the lender will consider you less risky. This could mean getting a better deal and saving money.

A credit score of 1,000 is not possible because the standard credit score range used by FICO and VantageScore is 300 to 850. Other credit scoring models have a high of 900 or 950, but they are industry-specific and only used by certain financial institutions.

According to FICO, about 98% of “FICO High Achievers” have zero missed payments. And for the small 2% who do, the missed payment happened, on average, approximately four years ago. So while missing a credit card payment can be easy to do, staying on top of your payments is the only way you will one day reach 850.

What is the highest recorded credit score? ›

It may seem to be an impossible goal to reach a perfect FICO score of 850, but it's possible. It is important to know your FICO score as well as understand what it means to lenders and how to improve it. Learn how to achieve the highest score possible, and how it can affect your finances.

Highest “Overall” Credit Limit: $500,000

The winners of the nosebleed award for the highest credit limit among cards for mere mortals are these twins: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, with annual fees in the mid-triple digits and high-double digits, respectively.

So, given the fact that the average credit score for people in their 20s is 630 and a “good” credit score is typically around 700, it's safe to say a good credit score in your 20s is in the high 600s or low 700s.

But even with good credit, the average credit limit you can expect to get with a first credit card is generally between $500 and $1,000. Average credit: If you have fair credit, expect a credit limit of around $300 to $500. Poor credit: Credit limits between $100 and $300 are common for people with poor credit scores.

There is no set minimum FICO® Score to get a car loan. However, a good score at 720 or better will get you the best rate. Consider spending some time improving your credit score before shopping for your next car. Even moving up a few points can make a big difference if you have a low score.

Some lenders use specialized credit scores, such as a FICO Auto Score. In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of 661 or up, to get a loan at a good interest rate. If you have poorer credit, you can still get a loan, but you will probably have to pay more for it or else find a co-signer.

What credit score do I need to finance a Tesla? Tesla does not state a minimum credit score for financing. However, as with other brands, you will have much better luck securing a lower APR if you have a better score. Try aiming for a credit score of 720 or higher to get the best possible rate.

The lowest credit score is 300. The most commonly used credit-scoring models from FICO and VantageScore range from a low of 300 to a high of 850.

Who has the highest credit score in America? ›

For most credit-scoring models, including VantageScore 3.0 and FICO, the highest credit score possible is 850. We were able to speak to two Americans who belong to the exclusive FICO 850 Club: Brad Stevens of Austin, Texas, and John Ulzheimer of Atlanta.

Updating times. In addition to data differences, credit bureaus update their information at different intervals. For example, TransUnion may update its information every 30 days, whereas Experian may update information every 60 days. That time difference can lead to different scores.

In some cases, as seen in an example below, Credit Karma may be off by 20 to 25 points.

This is due to a variety of factors, such as the many different credit score brands, score variations and score generations in commercial use at any given time. These factors are likely to yield different credit scores, even if your credit reports are identical across the three credit bureaus—which is also unusual.

Tier 1 credit is generally defined as a credit score of 750 or higher. The term is most commonly used among auto lenders, but other lenders use it as well. People with tier 1 credit have the highest level of creditworthiness and will usually receive the most favorable terms on loans and lines of credit.

Will paying my phone bill build credit? The short answer: No, paying your phone bill will not help you build up credit. Phone bills for service and usage are not usually reported to major credit bureaus, so you won't build credit when paying these month to month.

It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly payments.

There are several actions you may take that can provide you a quick boost to your credit score in a short length of time, even though there are no short cuts to developing a strong credit history and score. In fact, some individuals' credit scores may increase by as much as 200 points in just 30 days.

Is it good to pay off charged off accounts? ›

Should I pay off charged-off accounts? You should pay off charged-off accounts because you are still legally responsible for them. You will still be responsible for paying off charged-off accounts until you have paid them, settled them with the lender, or discharged them through bankruptcy.

You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 700 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.

A perfect credit score of 850 is hard to get, but an excellent credit score is more achievable. If you want to get the best credit cards, mortgages and competitive loan rates — which can save you money over time — excellent credit can help you qualify. “Excellent” is the highest tier of credit scores you can have.

The highest credit score you can have on the most widely used scales is an 850. For common versions of FICO and VantageScore, the scale ranges from 300 to 850 and lenders typically consider anything above 720 excellent credit.

Depending on where you're starting from, It can take several years or more to build an 800 credit score. You need to have a few years of only positive payment history and a good mix of credit accounts showing you have experience managing different types of credit cards and loans.

For most people, increasing a credit score by 100 points in a month isn't going to happen. But if you pay your bills on time, eliminate your consumer debt, don't run large balances on your cards and maintain a mix of both consumer and secured borrowing, an increase in your credit could happen within months.

To raise your credit score by 50 points, you can dispute errors on your credit report, pay your bills on time and lower your credit utilization. Credit scores rise and fall based on the contents of your credit report, so adding positive information to your report will offset negative entries and increase your score.

According to a report by FICO, only 23% of the scorable population has a credit score of 800 or above.

A 750 FICO^® Score is above the average credit score. Borrowers with scores in the Very Good range typically qualify for lenders' better interest rates and product offers. 25% of all consumers have FICO^® Scores in the Very Good range.

Who has the highest credit score in the United States? ›

For most credit-scoring models, including VantageScore 3.0 and FICO, the highest credit score possible is 850. We were able to speak to two Americans who belong to the exclusive FICO 850 Club: Brad Stevens of Austin, Texas, and John Ulzheimer of Atlanta.

Your 850 FICO^® Score falls in the range of scores, from 800 to 850, that is categorized as Exceptional. Your FICO^® Score is well above the average credit score, and you are likely to receive easy approvals when applying for new credit. 21% of all consumers have FICO^® Scores in the Exceptional range.

While achieving a perfect 850 credit score is rare, it's not impossible. About 1.3% of consumers have one, according to Experian's latest data. FICO scores can range anywhere from 300 to 850. The average score was 714, as of 2021.

Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

Most lenders consider an 800 FICO^® Score to be an exceptional score. About 21.8% of America has a credit score higher than 800 points. If you have a credit score of 800, it likely means that you manage debt well and never miss a loan payment.

Membership in the 800+ credit score club is quite exclusive, with fewer than 1 in 6 people boasting a score that high, according to WalletHub data.

What Is the Minimum Score Needed to Buy a Car? In general, lenders look for borrowers in the prime range or better, so you will need a score of 661 or higher to qualify for most conventional car loans.

The lowest credit score is 300. The most commonly used credit-scoring models from FICO and VantageScore range from a low of 300 to a high of 850. It's easy to get confused about what the lowest credit score is. It would make more sense to start at 0, for one thing.

Although a lot of people might like the idea of a perfect credit score, Experian reports that only 1.2 percent of consumers' FICO scores are a perfect 850.

A perfect credit score of 850 is hard to get, but an excellent credit score is more achievable. If you want to get the best credit cards, mortgages and competitive loan rates — which can save you money over time — excellent credit can help you qualify. “Excellent” is the highest tier of credit scores you can have.

What is the average credit score by age? ›