What's the Average Credit Score in the US? 2026 Data by Age and State

The average credit score in the US is 713, according to Experian data from September 2025. A separate FICO report from Spring 2026 puts it at 714. Either way, it marks the first annual decline since 2013 — ending more than a decade of steady improvement.

Quick Answer: Where the US Average Stands in 2026

The national average FICO Score sits at 713–714 depending on the data source and timing. Experian's figure of 713 reflects September 2025 consumer data. FICO's own Credit Insights report, released in Spring 2026, uses a slightly later data cut and arrives at 714. The one-point difference is a methodology and timing gap, not a contradiction.

What matters more: 70% of Americans still have a good or better credit score — meaning 670 or above. That's actually a reasonably healthy picture, even with the decline.

The drop itself is modest. Two points nationally. But it's the direction that's notable — scores had risen every year since 2013, and 2025 reversed that streak.

 

As reported by CNBC, the decline was driven not by a surge in reckless borrowing but by rising missed payments and the structural impact of student loan delinquency reporting resuming after years of pandemic-era relief.

Data Source	Average FICO Score	Data Period
Experian	713	September 2025
FICO Credit Insights	714	Spring 2026 report

What FICO Score Ranges Actually Mean

Before digging into the averages, it helps to know what the numbers represent. FICO Scores run from 300 to 850. Most lenders — over 90% of US lending decisions use FICO — interpret those numbers through five tiers.

FICO Score Range	Rating	What It Generally Signals to Lenders
300–579	Poor	High risk; limited approval odds
580–669	Fair	Some approvals; higher rates likely
670–739	Good	Broadly acceptable to most lenders
740–799	Very Good	Strong approval odds; competitive rates
800–850	Exceptional	Best available rates and terms

A score of 713 — the national average — sits in the Good range. That's not bad. It means most Americans are at a level where lenders will consider them, though they won't necessarily be offered the lowest available rates.

FICO vs. VantageScore — Which One Are We Talking About?

Most published national averages, including the ones in this article, refer to the FICO Score 8 model. VantageScore is another widely used model — Chase Credit Journey, for instance, uses VantageScore 3.0 — but its range thresholds differ.

Feature	FICO Score	VantageScore
Score Range	300–850	300–850
"Good" Score Threshold	670+	661+
Used In	90%+ of lending decisions	Many free monitoring tools
National Average Published	Yes (FICO Credit Insights)	Less commonly cited

When someone asks "what's the average credit score in the US," they almost always mean FICO. That's what this article uses throughout.

How the US Average Credit Score Has Changed Over Time

This context matters. The 2025 dip didn't come out of nowhere — it followed an unusually long period of improvement.

Year	Average FICO Score
2013	~689 (last prior decline)
2017	~700
2020	~711
2023	~715
2024	~715
2025	713

Scores climbed through the pandemic years, partly because many consumers reduced spending and paid down balances when stimulus arrived. By 2023–2024, scores had plateaued. The 2025 drop is the first real reversal — driven largely by student loan repayment resumption, rising delinquencies, and affordability pressures rather than reckless borrowing.

In practice, financial counselors commonly note that score declines during periods of economic stress tend to be gradual and uneven — some borrowers absorb shocks while others can't.

Average Credit Score by Age Group (2025)

Credit scores and age tend to move together. Longer credit history, older accounts, and fewer new credit applications all push scores upward over time. That's not a rule — it's just how the FICO model weights time.

Generation	Age Range (2025)	2024 Avg	2025 Avg	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, September 2025

The 2025 decline hit younger generations hardest. Gen Z dropped three points; Millennials dropped two. Baby Boomers actually improved by one point.

Why Do Scores Tend to Rise With Age?

A few structural reasons — not personal virtue:

• Credit history length accounts for 15% of a FICO Score. The longer accounts have been open, the better.
• Older borrowers typically carry lower utilization — mortgages get paid down, fewer revolving balances grow.
• Baby Boomers are less likely to be opening new accounts, which means fewer hard inquiries.
• Younger borrowers face student loan debt, newer accounts, and the economic conditions of starting out.

What's often overlooked is that Gen Z's average of 678 is actually quite solid for a generation just beginning to build credit history. The decline from last year is the concern, not the absolute number.

Average Credit Score by State (2026)

Geography plays a measurable role. The spread between the highest and lowest state averages is 66 points — a meaningful gap that reflects regional differences in income, debt levels, and economic conditions.

Highest and Lowest Scoring States

Rank	State	2025 Average FICO Score
Highest	Minnesota	741
2nd	Vermont	737
3rd	Wisconsin	737
4th	New Hampshire	735
5th	Washington	734
Lowest	Mississippi	677
2nd Lowest	Louisiana	686
3rd Lowest	Alabama	689
4th Lowest	Georgia	692
5th Lowest	Texas / Oklahoma	692–693

Source: Experian, September 2025

As a broad pattern, higher scores are concentrated in the Upper Midwest and New England; lower scores cluster in the South. That's an observed trend in the data — the causes are layered and involve income distribution, housing costs, and local employment patterns rather than any single factor.

Full 50-State Average Credit Score Table (2025)

State	2024	2025	Change
Alabama	692	689	−3
Alaska	722	720	−2
Arizona	712	709	−3
Arkansas	695	693	−2
California	722	721	−1
Colorado	731	729	−2
Connecticut	726	724	−2
Delaware	714	713	−1
District of Columbia	715	711	−4
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, September 2025

How Americans Are Distributed Across Credit Score Ranges

The national average tells part of the story. The distribution tells more.

FICO Score Range	Rating	% of Consumers (2024)	% of Consumers (2025)
300–579	Poor	13.2%	14.7%
580–669	Fair	15.5%	14.9%
670–739	Good	21.0%	20.1%
740–799	Very Good	27.8%	27.5%
800–850	Exceptional	22.5%	22.8%

Source: Experian, September 2025

Two things happened simultaneously in 2025: more consumers fell into the Poor range (up from 13.2% to 14.7%), and more consumers reached the Exceptional range (up to an all-time high of 22.8%). The middle tiers contracted slightly.

This kind of polarization — where both ends grow while the middle thins — tends to reflect an economy where some households are managing well while others are under real strain.

Why Did the Average Credit Score Drop in 2025?

A few factors converged. None of them is a surprise in isolation — together they created enough pressure to end the decade-plus streak of improvement.

Student loan repayment changes played a clear role. According to research from Fortune, more than 9 million student loan borrowers were projected to face significant drops in credit standing once delinquencies began appearing on credit reports in the first half of 2025 — a direct consequence of pandemic-era protections expiring and negative reporting resuming.

Rising delinquency rates on mortgages and auto loans added pressure. These are the categories where missing a payment tends to hurt scores the most.

Affordability pressures — particularly shelter and transportation costs — left less room in monthly budgets for debt service.

Account Type	2023 Delinquency Rate	2024 Delinquency Rate	2025 Delinquency Rate
Credit Card	2.45%	2.40%	2.31%
Mortgage	1.88%	2.24%	2.45%
Auto Loan	3.51%	3.68%	3.78%
Personal Loan (unsecured)	3.89%	3.86%	3.76%

Source: Experian, September 2025

Interestingly, credit card delinquencies actually improved slightly in 2025. The stress is concentrated in mortgage and auto — larger installment obligations where missed payments carry more weight in FICO calculations.

The Five Factors That Make Up Your FICO Score

Understanding the weight behind each factor helps explain both why national averages shift and where individual improvement is possible.

Factor	Weight	What It Measures
Payment History	35%	Whether you pay on time, every time
Amounts Owed	30%	How much of your available credit you're using
Length of Credit History	15%	How long your accounts have been open
Credit Mix	10%	Variety of account types (cards, loans, mortgage)
New Credit	10%	Recent applications and new accounts opened

Credit Utilization — The Often-Overlooked Number

The national average credit utilization rate held steady at 29% for the third consecutive year (2023–2025). This is actually below the commonly cited 30% threshold, which suggests that overuse of existing credit is not the primary driver of the 2025 decline.

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, September 2025

The pattern here is consistent: consumers with higher scores carry far lower balances relative to their limits. Consumers with the best scores typically stay under 10% utilization — well below the 30% rule of thumb most people have heard.

What the Average Credit Score Means for Borrowers

This is the part most articles skip over. A national average is useful context, but what a 713 score actually does for a borrower depends on the loan type.

Loan Type	Typical Minimum Score	Where 713 Lands
Conventional Mortgage	620–640	Qualifies; not the best tier
FHA Mortgage	500–580	Comfortably qualifies
Auto Loan (new)	661+ for good rates	Qualifies; competitive rates
Personal Loan	580–640 minimum	Strong position
Rewards Credit Card	670–700	Generally qualifies
Premium Rewards Card	740+	Below the best-tier threshold

At 713, a borrower qualifies for most standard loan products. But they likely won't access the lowest advertised rates — those are typically reserved for borrowers in the 740–760+ range. The practical difference between a 713 and a 750 score on a 30-year mortgage can translate to thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

At first glance, 713 seems like a strong number. And it is — relative to the minimum thresholds. But it sits just below the "Very Good" tier that unlocks meaningfully better pricing on large borrowing.

How to Check Your Credit Score for Free

Several routes — none requiring a paid subscription:

• AnnualCreditReport.com — Federally mandated free access to your full credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). This is a report, not a score, but it shows what's driving your number.
• Your bank or credit card issuer — Many major issuers now display your FICO Score or VantageScore on your monthly statement or app at no cost.
• Experian's free tier — Provides FICO Score 8 access directly.

One point worth knowing: checking your own score is a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit score. This is a common concern and genuinely a non-issue.

How to Improve Your Credit Score — Tied to What Actually Moves the Needle

Generic improvement tips are everywhere. These are grounded in the FICO factor weights:

Payment history (35%) — the single biggest lever. One missed payment can noticeably lower your score; consistent on-time payments over time is the most reliable path upward. Autopay for minimums removes the risk of accidental late payments.

Amounts owed (30%) — utilization matters more than most people realize. If your balances are consistently above 30% of your limits, that's actively suppressing your score. Paying down revolving balances — especially before your statement closes — can show results within a billing cycle.

Keep old accounts open (15%). Closing a card you no longer use can shorten your average account age and reduce available credit. Both outcomes can lower your score.

Limit new applications (10%). Each hard inquiry from a credit application creates a small, temporary dip. Multiple applications in a short period amplify this.

Credit mix (10%). Having only credit cards and no installment debt (or vice versa) slightly limits your score potential. This matters less than the first two factors — don't open accounts just for mix.

Conclusion

The average credit score in the US is 713 as of 2025 — the first decline in over a decade, but still in the Good range for the majority of Americans. Younger generations absorbed most of the drop; Baby Boomers improved. The practical takeaway: where you sit relative to the 740 threshold matters more for borrowing costs than the national average itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average credit score in the US in 2025?

The average FICO Score in the US is 713, per Experian's September 2025 data. A FICO report from Spring 2026 cites 714. Both reflect a slight decline from 2024 — the first annual drop since 2013.

Is 700 a good credit score in the US?

Yes. A 700 FICO Score falls in the Good range (670–739) and qualifies for most standard loan products. However, the best rates on mortgages and auto loans typically require 740 or above.

What is the average credit score by age in the US?

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

Which state has the highest and lowest average credit score?

Minnesota has the highest average at 741. Mississippi has the lowest at 677. The 66-point gap between them reflects broad regional differences in income, debt load, and economic conditions.

Why did average credit scores drop in 2025?

The main contributing factors were the end of pandemic-era student loan protections, rising mortgage and auto loan delinquencies, and broader affordability pressures. The decline is modest but ended a decade-long streak of improvement.