Average Credit Score in America: Why It Dropped and What It Means for You (2026)

The average credit score in America sits at 713 as of the latest available data, according to Experian's FICO Score 8 figures. It is a small number on the surface just two points below the prior year but the direction matters. This marks the first annual decline in the national average since 2013, ending a 12-year streak of steady improvement.

What Counts as a Good Credit Score?

Before getting into the numbers, it helps to know what the scale actually looks like. FICO scores run from 300 to 850, and lenders use them to gauge how risky it is to extend you credit. Higher scores generally mean lower interest rates, better approval odds, and more financial flexibility.

Here is how the FICO Score 8 ranges break down:

At 713, the average American sits in the "good" range — but only just. One missed payment cycle or a spike in credit card balances can nudge someone out of that category. That is not a trivial concern given what household finances have looked like recently.

The Average Credit Score in America Right Now

The national average FICO score in America is 713, based on Experian's most recent data. A year prior it was 715. The year before that, also 715. Scores had held at or near that level for two consecutive years — a mild plateau after a long climb from 710 in 2020.

The recent dip is the first meaningful reversal since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. As reported by CNBC, high interest rates and rising prices pushed more consumers deeper into debt, leading to an increase in both credit card balances and missed payments — two factors that directly drag scores down.

One specific driver stands out: the resumption of federal student loan delinquency reporting. After a multi-year pandemic-era pause, missed student loan payments began appearing on credit reports again in early 2025. That affected millions of borrowers — particularly younger Americans — who had not made payments in years and had no idea the impact was coming.

Score Distribution Across America

What this table shows is not a uniform decline — it is a split. The percentage of Americans with exceptional scores (800–850) hit an all-time high of 22.8%. At the same time, the poor range (300–579) also grew, from 13.2% to 14.7%.

The middle of the distribution is thinning. Some Americans are financially stronger than ever. Others are falling behind. Both things are true at once.

Average Credit Score in America by Age and Generation

Age is one of the strongest predictors of credit score — not because older people are inherently more responsible, but because credit history length is a direct factor in how scores are calculated. The longer you have been managing credit accounts, the more data there is to evaluate.

That said, the most recent data shows something more nuanced. Older generations are stable or improving. Younger generations are taking the hardest hit.

Generational Credit Score Breakdown

Gen Z saw the steepest drop three points in a single year. That is the largest single-year decline of any generation since 2020. Much of it ties back to student loan delinquencies.

Around 34% of Gen Z consumers are still paying down student loans, and when those missed payments started showing up on credit reports, the impact on scores was immediate and significant for many borrowers.

Millennials dropped two points, weighed down by similar student loan pressures and a tighter labor market that has made managing monthly obligations harder.Baby Boomers, by contrast, edged up a point to 747.

They typically carry paid-off or near-paid mortgages, fewer active financial obligations, and a decades-long track record of on-time payments. All of that works in their favor.

What is worth noting: every generation — including Gen Z — still averages in the "good" or "very good" FICO range. No generation has slipped into "fair" territory on average. The decline is real, but it has not yet pushed any cohort out of favorable territory with lenders.

How the Average Credit Score Varies by State

Geography plays a role too, though perhaps not in the way people expect. State-level averages do not reflect individual lender decisions — a lender in Mississippi uses the same evaluation criteria as one in Minnesota.

What state averages reveal is the economic and demographic character of a region.In the most recent data, not a single U.S. state saw its average credit score increase. Three states held steady. Every other state declined.

Highest and Lowest Scoring States

Louisiana and Washington D.C. saw the sharpest single-year drops at four points each. As reported by Fortune, rising debt levels, higher credit utilization, and increased delinquency are driving score declines broadly across the country — not just in lower-ranked states. The pattern is nationwide, even if the depth of the decline varies by region.

Northern states consistently outperform Southern ones in average scores, a pattern that has held for years and reflects differences in income levels, access to credit, cost of living pressures, and demographics rather than any single cause.

What Actually Moves a Credit Score

The five factors that build a FICO score are not secret — FICO publishes the weightings. What is less often understood is how each one plays out in practice.Payment history (35%) is the single largest factor. One 30-day late payment can drop a score meaningfully. A 90-day delinquency can cause a severe drop that lingers on a report for seven years.

This is why the student loan delinquency wave has been so damaging — borrowers who had never missed a payment before were suddenly showing 90-day delinquencies, often without realizing the grace period had ended.

Credit utilization (30%) measures how much of your available revolving credit you are actually using. The widely cited guideline is to stay below 30% of your credit limit. In practice, consumers with exceptional scores (800+) tend to keep utilization under 10%.

National average utilization held steady at 29% in the most recent data — right at the edge of where it starts to hurt scores.Length of credit history (15%) rewards time in the system. This is why closing an old account — even a dormant one — can sometimes reduce a score.

The age of your oldest account and the average age across all accounts both factor in.

Credit mix (10%) looks at whether you have experience managing different types of credit: revolving accounts like credit cards, and installment loans like auto loans, mortgages, and personal loans.

New credit (10%) accounts for recent hard inquiries — the checks lenders run when you apply for new credit. Multiple applications in a short period can signal financial stress to scoring models.

How to Improve Your Credit Score From Here

There are no fast fixes. Lenders and credit counselors commonly find that the borrowers with the strongest scores built them through consistent, unremarkable habits over years — not through workarounds or quick strategies.

Five things that make a genuine difference:

1. Pay every bill on time. Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum due. A single missed payment can undo months of progress.
2. Pull your credit report and check for errors. Incorrect late payments or accounts that do not belong to you are not uncommon. Disputing and removing them can improve your score without any behavioral change.
3. Bring utilization down below 30%. If you are carrying high balances relative to your credit limits, paying those down has an almost immediate scoring impact once the update hits the bureaus.
4. Do not close old accounts. Even unused cards contribute to your average account age and total available credit. Closing them reduces both.
5. Limit applications for new credit. Every hard inquiry leaves a small mark. Applying for multiple cards or loans in a short window compounds the effect.

Conclusion

The average credit score in America is 713 as of the latest data in 2026 — technically good, but reflecting the first decline in over a decade. Student loan delinquencies, elevated debt levels, and broader economic pressure are all contributing. Most Americans remain in favorable scoring territory, but the downward trend is worth tracking closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average credit score in the US in 2026?

The average credit score in America is 713 based on the most recent FICO Score 8 data from Experian. This is a two-point decline from the prior year and the first annual drop since 2013.

What credit score do most Americans have?

Roughly 70% of Americans have a FICO score of 670 or above, which is considered "good" or better. The largest single group falls in the very good range of 740–799.

Is a 713 credit score good enough for a mortgage?

A 713 FICO score generally meets minimum requirements for a conventional mortgage, though the best interest rates typically require a score of 740 or higher. Individual lender requirements vary.

Why are credit scores dropping in America?

The recent decline is linked to rising debt balances, more missed payments, and the resumption of federal student loan delinquency reporting — which affected millions of borrowers who had been protected during pandemic-era forbearance.

Which states have the highest average credit scores?

Minnesota leads at 741, followed by Vermont and Wisconsin at 737. Northern states consistently rank higher, reflecting regional differences in income, debt levels, and demographics.