What is the average credit score in the US?

The average FICO credit score in the US is approximately 715 in 2026. The average VantageScore is approximately 702.

What is a good credit score?

A FICO score of 670-739 is considered 'Good,' 740-799 is 'Very Good,' and 800+ is 'Exceptional.' Scores below 580 are considered 'Poor.'

Does age affect credit score?

Yes. Average credit scores increase with age. The average for ages 18-25 is about 660, while the average for those 76+ is about 760. This is largely because older consumers have longer credit histories.

Average Credit Score in America by Age and State (2026)

Your credit score affects mortgage rates, credit card approvals, auto loan terms, insurance premiums, and even rental applications. Here’s where the average American stands and how you compare.

Credit Score Ranges

FICO Score Range	Rating	% of Americans
800–850	Exceptional	22%
740–799	Very Good	25%
670–739	Good	21%
580–669	Fair	17%
300–579	Poor	15%

National average: 715 (FICO)

Average Credit Score by Age

Credit scores tend to increase with age, primarily because of longer credit histories and more established payment records:

Age Group	Average FICO Score
18–25	660
26–35	680
36–45	698
46–55	718
56–65	735
66–75	752
76+	760

The 100-point gap between youngest and oldest consumers reflects the weight of credit history length (15% of FICO score) and established payment patterns.

Average Credit Score by State

Highest Scores	Avg. Score	Lowest Scores	Avg. Score
Minnesota	742	Mississippi	680
Wisconsin	737	Louisiana	684
Vermont	736	Alabama	686
South Dakota	735	Texas	688
North Dakota	734	Georgia	689
New Hampshire	733	South Carolina	690
Massachusetts	731	Oklahoma	690
Washington	730	West Virginia	691
Hawaii	729	Nevada	692
Oregon	728	Arkansas	693

States with higher average incomes and lower poverty rates tend to have higher average credit scores.

What Goes Into Your Credit Score

Factor	Weight	What It Measures
Payment history	35%	On-time vs. late payments
Amounts owed (utilization)	30%	How much of available credit you use
Length of credit history	15%	Average age of accounts
Credit mix	10%	Variety of account types
New credit inquiries	10%	Recent credit applications

Credit Utilization Sweet Spot

Utilization Rate	Impact
0%	Slightly negative (shows no activity)
1–9%	Best range
10–29%	Good
30–49%	Starts hurting
50%+	Significantly negative
75%+	Severely damages score

Keeping utilization under 10% across all cards is the most impactful thing you can do to maintain a high score.

How Credit Scores Affect Borrowing Costs

The difference in interest rates by credit score is substantial:

30-Year Fixed Mortgage ($350,000)

Credit Score Range	Interest Rate	Monthly Payment	Total Interest (30 yr)
760–850	6.50%	$2,212	$446,320
700–759	6.72%	$2,268	$466,480
680–699	6.90%	$2,314	$482,840
660–679	7.11%	$2,367	$502,120
620–659	7.66%	$2,511	$553,960

The difference between excellent (760+) and fair (660) credit is $299/month or $107,640 in extra interest over the life of the loan.

Auto Loan (5-Year, $35,000)

Credit Score	APR	Monthly Payment	Total Interest
750+	5.6%	$670	$5,200
700–749	7.4%	$700	$6,960
650–699	10.1%	$747	$9,820
600–649	14.2%	$818	$14,080
Below 600	18.5%	$894	$18,640

How to Improve Your Credit Score

Quick Wins (1-2 months)

Pay down credit card balances — Reducing utilization below 10% can boost your score 20-50 points
Request a credit limit increase — This lowers your utilization ratio without paying anything
Become an authorized user — Being added to a family member’s old, high-limit card can help
Dispute errors — ~25% of consumers have material errors on their reports

Medium-Term (3-12 months)

Set up autopay — Never miss a payment (35% of your score)
Don’t close old cards — Closing accounts shortens your average credit age
Diversify credit types — A mix of revolving (cards) and installment (loans) helps
Limit hard inquiries — Each application can ding your score 5-10 points

Long-Term (1-5 years)

Build payment history — Years of on-time payments compound into an excellent score
Let accounts age — Average account age directly impacts 15% of your score
Maintain low utilization consistently — Month-over-month consistency matters

Average Credit Score Over Time

The national average has been trending upward:

Year	Average FICO Score
2010	689
2015	695
2018	701
2020	710
2022	714
2024	715
2026	715

The improvement is attributed to better financial literacy, credit-building products, and changes to scoring models that reduced the impact of medical collections.