What Is the Average Credit Score in America?

• The average American FICO score for 2022 was 716, and the average VantageScore was 697.
• Credit score averages vary across demographics, including by age and by state.
• Achieving or maintaining good, very good or excellent credit may increase your chances of accessing credit or securing lower interest rates.

Higher credit scores come with advantages for borrowers. —A good or great credit score often makes it easier to access additional credit or be offered lower interest rates. Understanding the average U.S. credit score, and how it relates to your score, can help you assess your financial wellness and better guide your decisions around credit.

This guide will provide an overview of average credit scores by age and state, how your credit score plays a role in your financial health, and how to increase or maintain an excellent credit score.

What is the average American credit score?

The average FICO credit score, as of August 2022, was 716, and the average VantageScore, as of October 2022, was 697, according to FICO and VantageScore.

What is considered a good credit score?

Both FICO and VantageScore calculate credit scores based on similar consumer credit data, but where each model places its weight on the data can result in a slightly different score.

In addition, some institutions create their own unique credit scoring model in-house using data and expertise. As a result, credit scores can vary across different platforms, and the score a lender sees may differ from a consumer’s VantageScore or FICO score. 

But in general, a good credit score according to FICO is between 670–739. And according to VantageScore, a good credit score will range between 661–780.

How have credit scores changed over time?

Excluding 2022 where the average American FICO score remained the same as the previous year, the national average credit score tends to trend upward each year. According to FICO data, in 2019, the average FICO score was 706 and by October 2020 it had risen to 713.

FICO scores especially increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when credit protections, like moratoriums on student loans and mortgage payments, were initiated. These protections helped safeguard credit scores but now that they are ending, credit scores are beginning to stabilize.

Many different types of credit scores are available to consumers, but FICO and VantageScore are the two most widely used by institutions and lenders.

While your credit score is unique to you, it will likely change throughout your life. And, not surprisingly, average credit scores in the United States vary across different age groups.

Average credit score by age

The average American credit score varies between age groups, with older generations maintaining higher credit scores — on average — than younger ones.

Part of this difference is reflected in how credit scores are calculated, which takes into account factors such as length of credit history, the mix of credit types held by a consumer and a consumer's history of repaying credit. As consumers age, the length of their credit history increases. Older consumers are also more likely to have successfully paid back credit, such as a mortgage or auto loan, and have accessed a mix of different types of credit. All these factors can result in a higher credit score.

The following table breaks down the average VantageScore and FICO Score  by generation:

However, age isn’t the only factor that correlates with a higher or lower average credit score. Location does as well.

Average credit score by state

The average U.S. credit score also varies by state. For example, Americans in New England or Pacific Northwest states tend to have higher credit scores than those who live in the South.

The state with the highest average VantageScore and FICO score is Minnesota, with an average VantageScore of 726 and an average FICO score of 742. The state with the lowest average scores across both models is Mississippi, with an average VantageScore of 662 and an average FICO score of 681. 

Check out how each U.S. state (and Washington, D.C.) compares to the others when it comes to average FICO score and average VantageScore.

No matter where you live, though, maintaining good financial health means maximizing your credit score.

How to improve your credit score

The strength of your credit history, as reflected in your credit score, can affect your ability to meet your financial goals. Consumers with excellent credit are often more likely to be approved for additional credit — whether that’s a credit card, mortgage or another loan — and may qualify for more competitive interest rates than those with lower credit scores.

If you’re interested in improving your credit, here are some ways you can do so:

• Pay all your bills on time each month: Your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score and 41% of your VantageScore. Whether it’s credit card debt, student loan repayments or another obligation, paying your debts on time will help improve your credit.
• Review your credit reports: It’s advised that you review your credit reports for errors and discrepancies from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Consumers are entitled to a free credit report from the three credit reporting agencies from annualcreditreport.com.
• Keep your credit utilization ratio low: Try to keep your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your available revolving credit you're using — under 30%. Using less than 30% of your credit limits can help build your credit.
• Don’t close old credit accounts: Length of credit history is also a determining factor in calculating your credit score, so it may be best to leave old accounts open.