Credit Score Statistics
Average FICO scores, distribution by range, and scores by generation
Compiled 2026-09-13 for a general US audience. Each statistic gives the number, the year/data vintage, and an original source (name + URL). Figures come from FICO (the company that created the FICO® Score) and Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus [1][2][3][4].
1. Average Credit Score
| Statistic | Number | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average US FICO® Score (national) | 714 | 2026 | FICO Score Credit Insights report [1] |
| Average FICO® Score at end of 2025 | 713 — a 2-point drop, first annual decline since 2013 | 2025 | Experian data [2] |
| Year-over-year change | −1 point (down 2 points vs. Oct 2024) | 2026 | FICO Score Credit Insights [1][4] |
| Score trend driver | Resumed student-loan delinquency reporting + modest rise in mortgage delinquencies | 2026 | FICO [1] |
Note: the average has slid since 2023, driven mainly by the resumption of student-loan delinquency reporting (see the student loan debt page) — not by worse overall consumer behavior. [1][4]
2. FICO® Score Ranges & Distribution
Score bands (FICO® Score 8): Poor 300–579 · Fair 580–669 · Good 670–739 · Very good 740–799 · Exceptional 800–850. [3][4]
| Range | Share of consumers | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poor (300–579) | 14.9% | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Fair (580–669) | ~15% | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Good (670–739) | ~20% | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Very good (740–799) | ~27.5% | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Exceptional (800–850) | ~22.8% (record share) | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Consumers with a score of 750 or higher | 48.1% (record) | 2026 | FICO [4] |
| Consumers with a "perfect" 850 | 1.71% | Jun 2026 | Experian [3] |
⚑ Context — the "K-shaped" story: the national average is falling while the share of consumers at 750+ is a record 48.1% — both true at once. This is a “K-shaped economy”: strong-scoring households keep improving while a growing share of lower-income/student-debt-burdened borrowers slips into poor. The average masks this divergence; the distribution table above is the honest picture. [1][4]
3. Average Score by Generation
| Generation | Average FICO® Score | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation Z | 678 | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [3] |
| Millennials | ~689–690 | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Generation X | 709–710 | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Baby Boomers | 747 | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
| Silent Generation | 760 | 2025 / Jun 2026 | Experian [2][3] |
4. Credit Utilization
Credit utilization — the share of available credit in use — is a key and fast-moving part of the score. Lower is better.
| Score range | Avg. utilization | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poor (300–579) | 79% | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
| Fair (580–669) | 61% | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
| Good (670–739) | 39% | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
| Very good (740–799) | 15% | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
| Exceptional (800–850) | 7% | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
| National average utilization | 29% (steady for 2 years) | Sep 2025 | Experian [2] |
⚑ Caveat: utilization is the most actionable lever a borrower controls — but note the direction of causation. Low utilization doesn’t create a high score by itself; it correlates with it. Borrowers in the exceptional range keep balances low and have long, clean histories. [2]
Sources
[1] https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/fico-score-credit-insights-report-average-fico-score-holds-steady-714-consumers-show-resilience — FICO® Score Credit Insights Report, Fall 2026
[2] https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-is-the-average-credit-score-in-the-u-s — Experian, What Is the Average Credit Score in the US? (2025 year-end)
[3] https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-many-americans-have-800-credit-score — Experian, How Many Americans Have an 800 Credit Score or Greater? (June 2026)
[4] https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2026/03/24/average-fico-score-drops-again/89286405007 — USA Today / FICO, Average FICO Score Dips (Spring 2026)
Contested / Stale Flag Summary (quick ref)
- Average (713 vs. 714) — Experian (Sept 2025) reports 713; FICO (2026) reports 714. Different bureau data + as-of dates; both are "good." State which source and date.
- Distribution shares drift by month — Experian's poor/fair/good/very-good/exceptional splits vary slightly between the Sept-2025 and Jun-2026 vintages; the extremes (poor ~14.9%, exceptional ~22.8%) are stable in the mid-20s, and the middle bands move a point or two.
- FICO® vs. VantageScore — ranges and averages shown are FICO® Score 8. VantageScore uses different bands (e.g. poor ≤600); don't mix models.