Credit Score Statistics: How to Interpret - and Boost - Your FICO Score

If you want to know how Americans are doing financially, take a look at their credit scores. Many are doing great. Many others have a rocky relationship with credit cards.

Your credit score plays an enormous role in your daily life. It can determine the interest rate you pay for credit cards, car loans, and mortgages. It can make the difference between moving your family into the house you love and having your mortgage application rejected.

Some potential employers even check applicants’ credit details to get a better picture of how responsible they are. Your credit score range can affect whether you’ll score your dream job or keep waiting tables.

With all this competition for credit, houses, and even jobs, it’s important to understand your own situation and how it compares to the average credit score.

Key Credit Score Statistics for 2026 - Editor’s Choice

• Nearly half (42%) of Americans aged 18-24 do not fully understand their credit scores.
• Citizens of Minnesota continued to have the highest average credit scores through 2025.
• The average FICO score in 2025 was 715.
• Gen Z’s average credit score dropped to 676 in 2026, the lowest of any generation.
• 46% of Gen Z Americans check their credit scores on a monthly level.

In 2025, nearly 23% of Americans had a FICO score of 800 or above.

(Fico)

This data represents a slight decline in the percentage of people who rate over 800, falling from 24.7% in 2024 to 23% in 2025. While the percentage of people with excellent credit scores had grown at a steady pace previously, the 2025 data shows a K-shaped recovery where top-tier growth is offset by rising delinquencies in lower brackets.

The credit bureaus market is worth $123.34 billion in 2025.

(The Business Research Company)

Credit bureaus are highly profitable and continue to expand, with the market projected to grow at a 11.3% CAGR until 2030, reaching $210.43 billion.

Minnesota was the state with the highest average credit score in 2025, with an average score of 742.

(Business Insider)

Wisconsin had an average score of 738, while Vermont citizens followed closely in the third place with an average score of 737.

With an average credit score of 669, Mississippi had the lowest scores in 2026.

(Business Insider)

The second-worst average credit score ratings were held by the citizens of Louisiana, with an average of 690.

64% of Americans in 2024 had a prime Vantage score.

(Experian)

This accounts for those in the 661-850 score range.

The average FICO score in 2025 was 715 and the average VantageScore stood at 701.

(ValuePenguin)

These numbers are beneficial for American citizens since they open the door to an improved way of life. For instance, the minimum FICO score required to qualify for a conventional mortgage is 620, and with this credit score report you can see that lots of people continue to qualify.

Only 58% of Americans aged 18-24 knew what their credit score was in 2024.

(Experian)

The youngest generation is not versed enough when it comes to their credit scores, as a 2026 study found nearly half (42%) do not fully understand how the scoring mechanism works, especially when compared to the oldest citizens, where Baby Boomers maintained the highest average score of 746 in 2026.

Just 1.3% of Gen Z Americans had excellent credit scores in 2024.

(Experian)

In contrast, Baby Boomers reached an average score of 746 in 2026, representing the most credit-stable demographic. Gen Z scores plummeted to 676 in early 2026 due to rising costs and student loan pressures.

Only 13% of Americans had poor credit scores in 2024.

(Experian)

These are citizens in the 300-579 range. Additionally, 16% had fair credit scores (580-699).

The average credit score for non-prime borrowers in 2024 was 595.

(Fico)

This number shows that some 29.7% of population is feeling financial distress, as the average credit score here dropped lower than it was during the pandemic.

Payment history is the number one factor affecting credit scores.

(Fico)

35% of a credit score is affected by your payment history, followed by amounts owed at 30% and the length of credit history at 15%.

The "middle" credit score range (600–749) shrank to 33.8% of the population in 2025.

(FICO)

This is a notable decrease from 38.1% in 2021, signaling a widening credit gap.

As of 2026, 71% of Americans check their credit scores multiple times per year.

(VantageScore)

Hyper-awareness is on the rise, particularly among younger generations, as 46% of Gen Z now monitor their scores monthly.