What Is Average Credit Score in America — And What Does It Mean for You?

The average credit score in America was 713–714 in 2025, depending on the dataset. That puts the typical U.S. consumer squarely in the "good" range — but it also marks the first national decline in over ten years. Not an alarm bell, but worth understanding.

The U.S. Average Credit Score Right Now

Two widely cited figures circulate for the 2025 national average: 713, from Experian's September 2025 consumer database, and 714, from FICO's own Spring 2026 Credit Insights report. Neither is wrong. They measure slightly different consumer samples at different points in the year — which naturally produces a one-point gap. Both land in the same place: the "good" FICO range (670–739).

What's worth noting is that this "average" is technically a mean across hundreds of millions of consumer credit files. It doesn't tell you what the most common score is, or where the middle score sits. In practice, a large share of Americans cluster well above 700 — about 48% have a FICO score of 750 or higher.

For context, the national VantageScore average also sits in a comparable range, though VantageScore and FICO use different weighting models and define score tiers differently. When you see national credit averages reported in financial news, they almost always refer to FICO scores — and that's what this article focuses on.

FICO or VantageScore — Which Score Are We Talking About?

Before diving into any averages, this distinction matters. There are two main credit scoring models in the U.S.:

• FICO Score — used in over 90% of U.S. lending decisions. Ranges from 300 to 850. This is what mortgage lenders, auto lenders, and most credit card issuers pull when you apply.

• VantageScore — also ranges from 300 to 850 but weights factors differently and defines "good" credit at a slightly lower threshold (661+, versus FICO's 670+). Commonly used in free credit monitoring tools.

Factor	FICO Score	VantageScore
Score Range	300–850	300–850
Payment History Weight	35%	40%
"Good" Score Threshold	670+	661+
Used in Formal Lending	90%+ of U.S. lenders	Less common
Amounts Owed / Utilization	30%	20%
Length of Credit History	15%	21% (age + type)

The practical difference: your VantageScore and FICO score may not be identical — sometimes they differ by 20–40 points. Neither is more "real" than the other, but FICO is what most lenders actually use when making approval decisions.

What Does a 713 Credit Score Actually Get You?

This is the question competitors consistently skip. Knowing the national average is one thing — understanding what a 713 score does for a borrower is more useful.

A 713 sits comfortably in the "good" range. In practice, that means:

• Mortgage: Most conventional loan programs are accessible. You're unlikely to get the absolute best rate tier (that typically starts around 740–760), but you won't be shut out either.
• Auto loans: Generally approved with competitive, though not rock-bottom, interest rates.
• Credit cards: Eligible for most mainstream rewards cards. Premium travel cards often prefer 740+.

The jump from "good" to "very good" (740+) can meaningfully lower borrowing costs over time — particularly on a 30-year mortgage. That one-tier difference is worth understanding even if your current score is at or above the national average.

FICO Range	Rating	Real-World Borrowing Impact
300–579	Poor	Limited approvals; secured cards; high-rate loans
580–669	Fair	Some approvals; above-average interest rates
670–739	Good	Most loans approved; competitive but not best rates
740–799	Very Good	Strong approvals; favorable rates across most products
800–850	Exceptional	Best available rates; easiest approvals

How the National Average Has Shifted Over Time

The 2025 figure didn't appear out of nowhere. For more than a decade before this, the national average climbed steadily — and understanding why makes the recent dip more legible.

After the 2008 financial crisis, lenders tightened credit standards significantly. The consumers who remained active borrowers tended to be lower-risk, which gradually pulled the national average upward. The pandemic years accelerated this: stimulus payments, reduced consumer spending, and temporary payment forbearance programs all helped consumers pay down balances and avoid delinquencies.

By 2021, the national average had reached 714–716. Then, slowly, the picture shifted. Inflation eroded purchasing power. Pandemic-era payment pauses ended. Unemployment ticked up from historic lows. Student loan repayments — particularly following the end of the SAVE income-based repayment program in 2025 — resumed for millions of borrowers.

As reported by CNBC, high interest rates, rising debt loads, and the resumption of student loan delinquency reporting were among the key factors behind the decline — pushing 2025 to mark the first annual drop in the national average FICO score since 2013.

Year	National Average FICO Score
2015	~695
2017	~700
2019	~703
2021	~714
2023	~715
2024	~715
2025	713–714

Sources: Experian annual data; FICO Credit Insights reports

Importantly, despite the dip, average scores remain higher in nearly every state than they were in 2020. The decade-long improvement hasn't been erased — it's just stalled.

Average Credit Score by Age Group

Credit scores and age have a fairly predictable relationship — though not for the reasons people sometimes assume. It's not that older people are inherently more financially responsible. It's that several factors that improve credit scores accumulate naturally over time: longer credit history, more diverse credit types, and generally lower utilization relative to available credit.

Generation	Age Range	2024 Avg	2025 Avg	Change
Gen Z	18–28	681	678	−3 pts
Millennials	29–44	691	689	−2 pts
Gen X	45–60	709	709	No change
Baby Boomers	61–79	746	747	+1 pt
Silent Generation	80+	760	760	No change

Source: Experian, September 2025

Why Younger Generations Fell Further in 2025

Gen Z and millennials absorbed the sharpest declines. Both groups carry more student loan debt than older generations, are more likely to be renters rather than homeowners (limiting their access to home equity as a financial buffer), and tend to have shorter credit histories with tighter credit limits relative to their balances.

According to data from Bloomberg, roughly 29% of federal student loan borrowers — approximately 5.4 million people — were delinquent on their loans as of mid-2025, with many experiencing direct hits to their credit scores as a result.

The ending of the SAVE student loan repayment plan added further pressure for millions of borrowers — a demographic that skews heavily toward Gen Z and millennials.

Why Baby Boomers Held Steady — or Improved

This is what's often overlooked in coverage of the 2025 decline. Baby boomers, on average, carry paid-off or nearly paid-off mortgages, have fewer large purchases requiring new financing, and have credit histories spanning several decades. Empty-nest households also tend to have lower ongoing spending — which keeps utilization low without much effort. Their credit profile is essentially built for stability.

Average Credit Score by State

Geography plays a bigger role in credit scores than most people realize — though the reasons behind the regional gaps are structural, not random.

Highest and Lowest State Averages

Rank	State	Avg FICO Score
1	Minnesota	742
2	Vermont	737
3	Wisconsin	737
4	New Hampshire	735
5	Washington	734
Lowest	Mississippi	677
2nd Lowest	Louisiana	686
3rd Lowest	Alabama	689

Source: Experian, September 2025

The broader pattern is consistent: Upper Midwest and New England states cluster toward the top; Southern states cluster at the bottom. The spread between the highest (Minnesota, 742) and lowest (Mississippi, 677) is 65 points — wide enough to meaningfully affect borrowing costs on large purchases like homes and cars.

Structural factors behind the gap include differences in median household income, cost of living relative to wages, local unemployment rates, and access to financial services. These aren't individual character differences — they reflect systemic economic conditions that influence entire regions.

In 2025, no state saw its average credit score increase. Louisiana and Washington D.C. saw the steepest declines at four points each. Illinois, Maine, and Vermont were the only states where averages held flat. Every other state declined by one to three points.

How Credit Scores Are Distributed Across America

The national average of 713 doesn't mean most Americans hover close to that number. The distribution is actually more interesting than a single figure suggests.

Score Range	Rating	2024 Share	2025 Share	Change
300–579	Poor	13.2%	14.7%	+1.5%
580–669	Fair	15.5%	14.9%	−0.6%
670–739	Good	21.0%	20.1%	−0.9%
740–799	Very Good	27.8%	27.5%	−0.3%
800–850	Exceptional	22.5%	22.8%	+0.3%

Source: Experian, September 2025

Two things stand out here. First, 70% of American consumers have a "good" or better score. That's a reasonably healthy overall picture. Second — and this is where it gets more nuanced — the share of consumers at both extremes grew in 2025. More people moved into the "poor" category, while more people also reached "exceptional." The middle bands shrank slightly.

This polarization reflects what economists have been calling a K-shaped economic pattern: higher earners continuing to build wealth while lower-income households face increasing financial pressure. Credit scores are beginning to mirror that split.

Credit Utilization and Delinquency Rates in 2025

Credit Card Utilization

Despite the drop in average scores, credit card utilization — one of the most influential factors in a FICO score — held stable at 29% nationally for the second year running. That's just under the commonly cited 30% threshold where utilization starts to weigh more heavily on scores.

FICO Score Range	Avg Credit Utilization
Poor (300–579)	79%
Fair (580–669)	61%
Good (670–739)	39%
Very Good (740–799)	15%
Exceptional (800–850)	7%

Source: Experian, September 2025

The utilization data suggests that overextended credit card spending wasn't the primary driver of the 2025 score decline. The pressure came more from delinquencies and missed payments — particularly on secured debt like mortgages and auto loans.

Delinquency Rates by Account Type

Account Type	2023	2024	2025
Credit Card	2.45%	2.40%	2.31%
Mortgage	1.88%	2.24%	2.45%
Auto Loans	3.51%	3.68%	3.78%
Personal Loans	3.89%	3.86%	3.76%

Source: Experian, September 2025

Mortgage and auto loan delinquencies both increased year over year — a sign that the strain on household budgets is showing up first in the largest, least flexible monthly obligations. Credit card delinquencies, interestingly, ticked down slightly — possibly because consumers are prioritizing card payments to preserve access to revolving credit.

What Actually Makes Up a Credit Score?

For anyone looking to move their score in either direction, understanding what drives it is the starting point.

FICO Score Factors

Factor	Weight	What It Measures
Payment History	35%	Whether you pay on time
Amounts Owed	30%	Balances vs. available credit (utilization)
Length of Credit History	15%	Age of oldest account, average account age
Credit Mix	10%	Variety of credit types (cards, loans, mortgage)
New Credit	10%	Recent applications and new accounts opened

Payment history carries the most weight — by a wide margin. One missed payment can cause a noticeable drop, particularly if your score is already below 700. Amounts owed is the second lever: keeping utilization low (ideally under 10% for top scores, though under 30% is the practical threshold for most people) matters more than most consumers realize.

How to Improve Your Credit Score — What Actually Works

There's no shortcut here. In practice, the most effective credit-building strategies are also the least exciting.

• Pay on time, every time. Autopay for at least the minimum due removes the human error risk from the most important scoring factor.

• Keep utilization low. Paying balances down before the statement closing date — not just the due date — can help, since that's when most issuers report to bureaus.

• Don't close old accounts. Even dormant cards contribute to your average account age and available credit limit — both of which help your score.

• Limit hard inquiries. Each credit application triggers one. Multiple inquiries in a short window signal financial stress to scoring models.

• Check your report for errors. Errors on credit reports are more common than most people expect. Disputing and removing inaccurate negative marks — a process that's free through all three major bureaus — can produce quick improvements.

The slower, more durable path is simply time and consistency. People who reach the exceptional range (800+) generally got there through years of on-time payments and low utilization — not any single tactic.

Conclusion

The average credit score in America sits at 713–714 — still good, but slightly lower than a year ago. Economic pressures, student loan changes, and rising delinquencies on secured debt drove the first national dip since 2013. For most borrowers, the practical takeaway is simple: know your number and understand what it means.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the average credit score in America right now?

The average FICO credit score in America was 713–714 in 2025, depending on the data source. Both figures sit in the "good" range (670–739) and represent the first national decline since 2013.

Q2: Is 713 a good credit score?

Yes. A 713 FICO score falls in the "good" range (670–739). It qualifies for most loans and credit cards, though the best interest rates typically start at 740 and above.

Q3: What is the average credit score by age in the U.S.?

In 2025: Gen Z averaged 678, Millennials 689, Gen X 709, Baby Boomers 747, and the Silent Generation 760. Scores rise with age primarily due to longer credit history and lower debt loads.

Q4: Which state has the highest average credit score?

Minnesota had the highest average FICO score in 2025 at 742. Mississippi had the lowest at 677 — a 65-point gap driven largely by structural economic differences between regions.

Q5: Why did the average U.S. credit score drop in 2025?

The decline was driven by rising unemployment, continued inflation, the end of student loan forbearance programs, and increasing mortgage and auto loan delinquencies — not a widespread spike in credit card misuse.