What's the Average Credit Score in the US — And What Does It Tell You?

The average credit score in the US is 713 as of 2025, based on Experian's national FICO Score data. That puts the average American squarely in the "Good" range — and, for the first time in over a decade, the number actually went down.

The US Average Credit Score Is 713 in 2025

Two major sources track this figure, and they land within one point of each other.

The minor gap isn't a contradiction — it reflects different sampling windows using the same scoring model family. Both point in the same direction: a slight decline from 2024, and the first annual drop since 2013.

At 713, the national average sits in the Good range (670–739). That means most Americans qualify for a broad range of credit products — but aren't yet in the tier where they'd routinely get the best available interest rates.

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

Most national credit score averages you'll read about are based on the FICO Score. That's deliberate. FICO is used in over 90% of US lending decisions, which makes it the practical standard for any borrower-facing discussion.

VantageScore is a separate model developed by the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It uses a slightly different weighting system and different score thresholds.

Some free credit monitoring tools use VantageScore — which is why your score might look slightly different depending on where you check it. For the purposes of the national average, FICO is the reference point that matters most.

What the Credit Score Ranges Actually Mean

A number on its own doesn't tell you much. Here's what each FICO Score range generally signals to a lender.

FICO Score Ranges Explained

Where Does 713 Place You?

It's above the midpoint. About 70% of Americans have a Good or better score, so a 713 puts you in the majority — but there's meaningful room between 713 and the Very Good threshold at 740. In practice, that gap can translate into a noticeably higher interest rate on a mortgage or auto loan.

Why Did the Average US Credit Score Drop in 2025?

This is the part that often gets glossed over. The number dropped — but the why matters more than the number itself.

Several converging factors contributed, as reported by CNBC following the release of FICO's year-over-year data:

• Student loan repayment resumed — The end of the SAVE income-based repayment plan in 2025 meant interest began accruing again on nearly 8 million accounts. Monthly obligations increased for a large segment of younger borrowers.

• Unemployment ticked up — Still low by historical standards, but rising from unusually low post-pandemic levels.

• Inflation continued — Particularly for shelter and transportation costs, squeezing disposable income and making it harder for some households to stay current.

• Credit application rejection rates hit record highs — Fewer approvals means less access to credit for consumers who need it, which can itself affect score dynamics over time.

What's worth noting: credit utilization nationally held steady at 29% for two consecutive years. That tells you the decline wasn't primarily driven by Americans overspending on credit cards. The pressure came from outside — economic conditions, not reckless borrowing.

How the Average Credit Score Has Changed Over Time

The 2025 dip breaks a long streak of improvement.

Longer view: scores are still higher today than they were 10 to 15 years ago. The upward trend held through the pandemic, through rising interest rates, and through multiple economic disruptions.

One two-point dip doesn't erase that trajectory — but it does signal that conditions have changed.

Average Credit Score by Age Group in the US

Credit scores and age are closely linked — and not arbitrarily. Two FICO factors directly favor older borrowers: length of credit history (15% of the score) and credit mix (10%). Older consumers have simply had more time to accumulate both.

2025 Average Credit Score by Generation

Gen Z took the sharpest hit — down three points. According to Fortune, student loan payments, inflation, and the limited credit history of younger borrowers combined to make Gen Z the hardest-hit generation in the 2025 decline. Many in this group are navigating loan repayment for the first time without pandemic-era protections.

Baby boomers, meanwhile, gained a point. Many in that generation have paid-off mortgages, fewer active debt obligations, and a long established credit history working in their favor.

Interestingly, every generation with an average score in the Good range or better still holds that position in 2025. The declines are real — but they haven't pushed any age group out of the broadly acceptable credit tier.

Average Credit Score by State

Geography plays a larger role in credit scores than most people expect. The spread between the highest and lowest state averages in 2025 was 66 points — that's the difference between effortless approval and regular rejection.

States With the Highest Average Credit Scores (2025)

States With the Lowest Average Credit Scores (2025)

The regional pattern is fairly consistent: Upper Midwest and New England states cluster near the top; Southern states cluster near the bottom. No state saw its average credit score increase in 2025. Some held steady — most declined by one to four points.

What drives the geographic divide isn't entirely clear from score data alone. Income distribution, housing costs, local employment patterns, and access to financial services all play a role — none of which the credit score itself captures.

How US Credit Scores Are Distributed Across the Population

The national average is one data point. The distribution tells a more complete story.

Two things happened simultaneously in 2025: the share of consumers in the Poor range grew, and the share in the Exceptional range hit an all-time high of 22.8%. The middle shifted slightly downward while both ends expanded.

This reflects what economists sometimes call a K-shaped pattern — where a segment of the population continues to improve financially while another segment falls further behind. Whether that framing fully explains a two-point national average change is debatable, but the directional split in the data is real.

What Factors Determine Your Credit Score?

Understanding the national average means understanding what moves it. FICO uses five factors — and they're not weighted equally.

The Five FICO Score Factors

Payment history is the single biggest lever. One missed payment can leave a mark that takes months to fade. That's not an exaggeration — it's how the model is designed.

Where US Consumers Currently Stand

Credit utilization nationally is at 29% — unchanged for two years. The general guidance is to stay below 30%, so the average American is just inside that threshold. Consumers with Exceptional scores tend to carry far less — typically under 10%.

Delinquency Rates by Account Type

Delinquency rates — the percentage of accounts with late or missed payments — are rising for some debt types and easing slightly for others.

Mortgage and auto loan delinquencies are climbing — which aligns with the broader pressure from higher costs and tighter household budgets. Credit card delinquencies, by contrast, are trending slightly downward, which may reflect consumers being more cautious about revolving debt given high interest rates.

What Does a 713 Credit Score Mean in Practice?

A 713 score opens most doors — but not always at the best terms. Here's how it generally maps to common loan products. These are typical lender thresholds, not guarantees — individual lenders vary.

In practice, most lenders look at more than just the score — income, debt-to-income ratio, and employment history all factor in. A 713 score is unlikely to be a disqualifying factor for most consumer credit products. But moving from 713 to 740+ can meaningfully shift the interest rates you're offered, particularly on larger, longer-term loans like mortgages.

About This Data

The figures in this article draw from two primary sources: Experian's national credit database (FICO Score 8, sampled September 2025) and the FICO Credit Insights report published in Spring 2026. Both use FICO scoring methodology.

Neither dataset includes personally identifiable information. The one-point difference between the two reported averages reflects different sampling windows — not a methodological conflict.

Conclusion

The average credit score in the US is 713 in 2025 — Good range, but the first drop in over a decade. Younger borrowers felt it most. Economic pressure, not overspending, drove the decline. The distribution is quietly splitting at both ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 713 a good credit score?

Yes. A 713 FICO Score falls in the Good range (670–739). It qualifies for most credit products, though the best interest rates on mortgages and auto loans typically require a score of 740 or higher.

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

In 2025: Gen Z averages 678, Millennials 689, Gen X 709, Baby Boomers 747, and the Silent Generation 760. Scores generally rise with age due to longer credit histories and broader credit mix.

What percentage of Americans have a credit score above 800?

As of 2025, 22.8% of US consumers have a FICO Score in the Exceptional range (800–850) — an all-time high, according to Experian data.

Why did the average US credit score drop in 2025?

The main contributors were student loan repayment resumption, rising unemployment, and continued inflation pressure. Credit utilization stayed flat, so overspending on cards was not a primary factor.

What is the difference between a FICO Score and a VantageScore?

FICO and VantageScore are separate credit scoring models. FICO is used in over 90% of US lending decisions. VantageScore uses different factor weights and thresholds. Both range from 300–850 but may produce different numbers for the same borrower.