What Is the Average Credit Score in America? 2026 Data, Trends & State Breakdown

The average credit score in America was 713 as of September 2025, based on FICO Score 8 data from Experian. That is a two-point drop from 2024 — the first annual decline since 2013 — and it reflects a broader shift in how economic pressure is showing up in consumer credit.

Still, 713 sits firmly in the "good" range. Most Americans can still access credit. The picture just looks a little more uneven than it did a few years ago.

FICO Score vs. VantageScore — Which Average Are We Talking About?

Most national credit score averages you will see — including the 713 figure — are based on the FICO Score 8 model. But there is a second major scoring system worth knowing about: VantageScore.

How FICO and VantageScore Differ

Both models use a 300–850 scale, but they weigh factors differently. FICO has been around since 1989 and remains the dominant standard in U.S. lending. VantageScore was developed jointly by the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — as an alternative model.

Feature	FICO Score 8	VantageScore 3.0
Scale	300–850	300–850
Payment history weight	35%	40%
Amounts owed / utilization	30%	20%
Length of credit history	15%	21% (age + type combined)
New credit	10%	5%
Credit mix	10%	3% available credit + 11% total balances
Used in lending decisions	90%+ of U.S. lenders	Less common in formal lending

Which Model Do Most Lenders Use?

In practice, FICO dominates. According to CNBC Select, FICO Scores are used in more than 90% of U.S. lending decisions, including mortgages, auto loans, and most credit card applications. VantageScore is more commonly used for free credit score tools and monitoring services — such as Chase Credit Journey or Credit Karma.

What this means: the 713 national average is a FICO figure. If you check your score through a free tool and see something different, it may be using VantageScore, which can produce a meaningfully different number for the same person.

Credit Score Ranges in America — What Each Tier Actually Means

Both FICO and VantageScore use a 300–850 scale, but the category labels differ slightly.

FICO Score Range	Rating	Practical Meaning
300–579	Poor	High risk; limited approval odds; secured cards or no credit
580–669	Fair	Some approval possible; higher interest rates typical
670–739	Good	Broadly acceptable to most lenders
740–799	Very Good	Access to competitive rates on most loan types
800–850	Exceptional	Best available rates; easiest approvals

The national average of 713 puts most Americans just inside the "good" tier — high enough to qualify for many products, but not quite in the range where lenders offer their best terms.

What Is the Average Credit Score Right Now — And What Does It Get You?

The national FICO average of 713 is good enough for most standard loan products. But "qualifying" and "getting a good rate" are two different things.

Is a 713 Credit Score Considered Good?

Yes. A 713 score falls in the good range (670–739) and means the majority of lenders will approve an application. However, borrowers in this range typically do not receive the lowest available interest rates — those are generally reserved for scores of 740 and above.

What Can a 713 Score Typically Get You on a Loan?

In practice, there is a meaningful rate gap between a 713 and a 760. On a 30-year fixed mortgage, for example, a borrower with a score in the 700–719 range may pay noticeably more in interest annually compared to someone in the 760–779 range. The exact difference depends on the lender, loan size, and current market rates — but the principle holds consistently across loan types.

Credit Score Range	Typical Borrowing Access
300–579	Largely limited to secured products or subprime lenders
580–669	Approval possible but rates are often substantially higher
670–739	Broad access to mainstream credit products
740–799	Competitive rates on mortgages, auto, and personal loans
800–850	Best available rates; highest approval confidence

Lenders also look at income, debt-to-income ratio, and employment history — so a credit score alone does not determine approval. But it is typically the first filter.

Why Did the Average U.S. Credit Score Drop in 2025?

The two-point national decline sounds small, but the fact that it happened at all is significant. The average FICO score had risen continuously for over a decade. Several factors converged in 2025 to reverse that trend.

Inflation and Cost-of-Living Pressure

Sustained inflation — particularly on housing, food, and transportation — left many households with less financial buffer. When everyday costs stay elevated, some consumers begin missing payments or carrying higher balances, both of which weigh on credit scores.

Student Loan Repayment Resumption

The end of the SAVE income-based repayment plan in 2025 meant that interest began accruing again on nearly 8 million accounts. Borrowers who had adjusted their budgets around lower payments now faced higher monthly obligations.

 As reported by The Washington Post, credit scores dropped by more than 100 points for 2.2 million delinquent student loan borrowers in the first three months of 2025 alone. Younger generations, who carry more student debt on average, were disproportionately affected.

Rising Unemployment and Delinquency Rates

Unemployment ticked upward in 2025, and delinquency rates on mortgages and auto loans followed. Both are rising from historically low levels — which matters for context — but the direction of the trend is downward for credit health.

The K-Shaped Economy and Credit Polarization

What's often overlooked is that the national average can obscure a widening split. The share of consumers in the "poor" credit range (300–579) grew from 13.2% to 14.7% in 2025. At the same time, the share in the "exceptional" range (800–850) hit an all-time high of 22.8%.

The average moved down by two points, but the more revealing story is that the distribution is stretching at both ends. Higher earners are improving; lower earners are under more pressure. One number does not capture that.

Average Credit Score in America Over Time (2020–2025)

The national average rose steadily for years before the recent dip. Here is how it has shifted:

Year	Average FICO Score	Notable Context
2020	~711	Pandemic stimulus, payment pauses boosted scores
2021	~714	Continued forbearance programs, low delinquency
2022	~716	Post-pandemic credit expansion
2023	~715	Early signs of stress; rate hikes began affecting budgets
2024	~715	Stability, but delinquencies beginning to rise
2025	713	First annual decline since 2013

Source: Experian FICO Score data, September of each year.

Average Credit Score by Age Group

Credit scores and age have a well-documented relationship. Older consumers consistently score higher — not because age itself is a scoring factor, but because the things that come with age (longer credit history, more diverse accounts, paid-off debts) are.

Why Do Credit Scores Increase With Age?

The length of credit history accounts for 15% of a FICO score. A 55-year-old with 30 years of credit history simply has more of it to demonstrate reliability. They are also more likely to have a paid-off mortgage, lower overall utilization, and fewer active installment loans.

Which Generations Saw the Biggest Drops in 2025?

Younger generations absorbed more of the 2025 decline. Gen Z dropped three points; millennials dropped two. Baby boomers gained one point.

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

Source: Experian data, September 2025.

The pattern makes sense when you consider that Gen Z and millennials are more likely to carry student loan debt and have fewer financial assets to absorb economic shocks. Baby boomers, by contrast, often have low or no mortgage balances and fewer monthly obligations tied to variable-rate debt.

Average Credit Score by State

There is a notable geographic pattern in U.S. credit scores. States in the Upper Midwest and New England consistently score highest. The South, particularly the Deep South, clusters at the lower end. The gap between the highest and lowest state averages is 66 points — which is substantial.

States With the Highest Average Credit Scores

State	2025 Avg Score
Minnesota	741
Vermont	737
Wisconsin	737
New Hampshire	735
Washington	734

States With the Lowest Average Credit Scores

State	2025 Avg Score
Mississippi	677
Louisiana	686
Alabama	689
Georgia	692
Texas	692

Full State-by-State Average FICO Scores (2024 vs. 2025)

State	2024	2025	Change
Alaska	722	720	−2
Alabama	692	689	−3
Arkansas	695	693	−2
Arizona	712	709	−3
California	722	721	−1
Colorado	731	729	−2
Connecticut	726	724	−2
Washington D.C.	715	711	−4
Delaware	714	713	−1
Florida	707	704	−3
Georgia	695	692	−3
Hawaii	732	730	−2
Idaho	730	729	−1
Illinois	720	720	0
Indiana	712	710	−2
Iowa	730	728	−2
Kansas	722	720	−2
Kentucky	705	704	−1
Louisiana	690	686	−4
Maine	731	731	0
Maryland	715	714	−1
Massachusetts	732	731	−1
Michigan	719	717	−2
Minnesota	742	741	−1
Mississippi	680	677	−3
Missouri	714	712	−2
Montana	732	730	−2
Nebraska	731	728	−3
Nevada	701	699	−2
New Hampshire	736	735	−1
New Jersey	724	722	−2
New Mexico	702	701	−1
New York	721	719	−2
North Carolina	709	707	−2
North Dakota	733	730	−3
Ohio	716	713	−3
Oklahoma	696	693	−3
Oregon	732	730	−2
Pennsylvania	722	720	−2
Rhode Island	721	719	−2
South Carolina	700	699	−1
South Dakota	734	731	−3
Tennessee	706	703	−3
Texas	695	692	−3
Utah	730	728	−2
Vermont	737	737	0
Virginia	723	721	−2
Washington	735	734	−1
West Virginia	702	699	−3
Wisconsin	738	737	−1
Wyoming	725	722	−3

Source: Experian data, September 2025.

Why Do Northern States Score Higher Than Southern States?

The geographic divide is real and consistent year over year. It is not one single cause. States with lower average scores tend to have lower median household incomes, higher rates of unbanked or credit-thin consumers, and fewer long-term credit accounts per capita.

Access to credit itself is part of the equation — it is harder to build a strong credit history if your early financial experiences involved limited access to mainstream financial products. This does not mean individuals in those states cannot have excellent scores; it means the structural and economic conditions make the average lower.

How U.S. Consumers Are Distributed Across Credit Score Ranges

The national average of 713 does not tell the full story. Looking at how consumers are spread across ranges shows something more nuanced.

What Percentage of Americans Have Good Credit or Better?

As of September 2025, approximately 70% of U.S. consumers have a FICO score of 670 or higher — meaning they fall in the good, very good, or exceptional range.

FICO Score Range	Rating	% of Consumers (2024)	% of Consumers (2025)	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 data, September 2025.

Why the Share of Both Poor and Exceptional Scores Is Growing

The middle is thinning. More consumers moved into the poor range in 2025, while the share at the exceptional end reached a record high. Both things are true simultaneously — which reflects the broader economic split.

Some households are building wealth and managing credit well; others are slipping. The average moves down slightly because there are more people on the struggling side than on the thriving side gaining new ground.

What Factors Make Up Your Credit Score?

Understanding the mechanics helps make sense of why scores move the way they do — especially across age groups and economic conditions.

Factor	FICO Weight	VantageScore Weight	Why It Matters
Payment history	35%	40%	Single most impactful factor — one missed payment can meaningfully lower a score
Amounts owed / utilization	30%	20%	How much of your available credit you are using
Length of credit history	15%	21%	Longer history = more data = more predictability for lenders
Credit mix	10%	~11%	Variety of account types (cards, loans, mortgage)
New credit / inquiries	10%	5%	Recent applications suggest higher short-term risk

FICO Score 8 vs. Other FICO Versions — Does It Matter?

The 713 national average is based on FICO Score 8, which is the most widely used version. But lenders do not all use the same version. Mortgage lenders often use FICO Score 2, 4, or 5 — older versions that can produce different numbers for the same person.

Auto lenders sometimes use FICO Auto Score 8. The result: your score can look different depending on which version a lender pulls. The underlying credit data is the same; the model weights it differently.

Average Credit Card Utilization and Delinquency Rates

What Is the Average Credit Utilization Rate in America?

The national average credit utilization rate has held steady at 29% for the past three years — just under the commonly cited 30% threshold. This suggests that, despite falling scores, over-reliance on available credit is not the primary driver of the decline.

How Utilization Differs Across Score Ranges — And Why It Matters

There is a clear and consistent pattern: lower scores are associated with much higher utilization. Consumers with exceptional scores use roughly 7% of available credit on average; those with poor scores average 79%.

FICO Score Range	Average 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 data, September 2025.

Interestingly, the causal relationship runs both ways. High utilization lowers scores, but lower scores often come with lower credit limits — which makes it structurally harder to keep utilization low even with the same dollar balance.

Delinquency Rates by Debt Type — What the Numbers Tell Us

Delinquencies are rising on mortgages and auto loans while credit card and personal loan delinquencies have edged slightly downward. Both trends deserve attention.

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 (unsecured)	3.89%	3.86%	3.76%

Source: Experian data, September 2025.

The rise in mortgage delinquencies is worth watching. It is still a relatively small percentage of accounts, but the direction is upward after a long period of decline — which aligns with the broader story of affordability strain in 2025.

How to Check Your Credit Score for Free

You do not need to pay to see your credit score. Several legitimate options exist:

• AnnualCreditReport.com — the federally mandated site for free credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Reports do not always include a score, but they show the underlying data.
• Experian.com — offers a free FICO Score 8 with a free account, updated monthly.
• Chase Credit Journey — free VantageScore 3.0, available to anyone (not just Chase customers).
• Credit Karma — free VantageScore from TransUnion and Equifax.

Checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry and does not affect your score in any way.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

There is no shortcut. In practice, most meaningful credit improvement comes from consistent behavior over time — not one-time fixes.

Make On-Time Payments Consistently

Payment history is 35% of a FICO score. A single missed payment — especially on a previously clean record — can drop a score by 60 to 100 points depending on the score level. Setting up autopay for at least the minimum payment is a simple guard against accidental misses.

Keep Credit Utilization Below 30%

The closer your balances are to your credit limits, the more pressure on your score. The 30% figure is a reasonable ceiling; consumers with the highest scores typically stay under 10%. Paying down balances before the statement closes — not just by the due date — can reduce the utilization your lender reports to the bureaus.

Keep Older Accounts Open

Closing a credit card you no longer use can shorten your average credit history and reduce your total available credit — both of which can nudge your score downward. Unless there is an ongoing fee that outweighs the benefit, most credit counselors advise keeping old accounts open and occasionally using them for small purchases.

Limit Hard Inquiries

Each credit application triggers a hard inquiry, which can cause a small, temporary dip in your score. Multiple applications in a short window compound the effect. Rate shopping for mortgages or auto loans within a 14–45 day window is typically treated as a single inquiry by FICO, but credit card applications are not bundled the same way.

Diversify Your Credit Mix Over Time

Having a mix of revolving credit (cards) and installment loans (auto, mortgage, personal) shows lenders you can manage different types of debt. This accounts for 10% of your FICO score. It is not worth taking on debt you do not need solely for the mix — but if you are choosing between two reasonable financial decisions, the one that adds a new credit type may have a secondary benefit.

Conclusion

The average credit score in America is 713 — still good, but declining for the first time in over a decade. The drop is modest, but the distribution tells a more complex story: more Americans are struggling at the lower end while a record share sits at the top.

Economic pressure, student loan changes, and rising delinquencies on secured debt are the primary drivers. For most borrowers, steady payment habits and low utilization remain the most reliable path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average credit score in the U.S. in 2025?

The average FICO credit score in America was 713 as of September 2025, according to Experian data. This is a two-point drop from 2024 and the first annual decline since 2013.

What is considered a good credit score in America?

A FICO score of 670 or above is generally considered good. Scores of 740 and above qualify for more competitive loan rates. About 70% of U.S. consumers currently fall in the good range or higher.

Which states have the highest and lowest average credit scores?

Minnesota leads at 741, followed by Vermont and Wisconsin at 737. Mississippi has the lowest average at 677, followed by Louisiana at 686. The spread between top and bottom states is 66 points.

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

The main factors were sustained inflation, the resumption of student loan repayments following the end of the SAVE plan, rising unemployment, and increasing mortgage and auto loan delinquencies.

What credit score do I need for a mortgage or car loan?

Most conventional mortgages require a minimum score of 620, but the best rates typically require 740 or higher. Auto lenders vary, but scores below 600 usually result in significantly higher interest rates.