Short answer: A good credit score is 670 or above on the FICO scale of 300 to 850. Scores of 740 to 799 are very good, and 800 or above is exceptional. The average American scores 714. The number sets the price of borrowing: on a $400,000 mortgage over 30 years, a borrower in the 620 to 639 band pays about $188 more a month and about $67,600 more in total interest than a borrower at 760 or above (myFICO national average rates, October 2026).
Try it now: open the free Credit Utilization Calculator and enter your card balances and limits to see your utilization ratio — the fastest-moving part of your score.
What "Good" Actually Means
A credit score is a three-digit number, usually from 300 to 850, summing up your credit reports into one judgement of repayment likelihood. The two brands that matter are FICO — used in 90% of top lending decisions, according to myFICO — and VantageScore, built jointly by the three bureaus. Both use the same scale but draw their band lines in different places, so the same person can be "good" on one and "fair" on the other.
On the FICO scale, "good" means 670 to 739 — the band where most mainstream products open up at near-average rates. The national average was 714 in April 2026 (FICO; Experian's data put it at 713 in September 2025), and 48.1% of consumers now score 750 or higher. A good score is the middle of the road, not an elite achievement. Below 670 the price rises steeply; above 740 you get the best pricing; above 800 there is little left to gain, since the top mortgage tier stops at 780.
FICO vs VantageScore Ranges Side by Side
The table uses FICO's own published bands from myFICO, and the commonly used VantageScore bands from the bureaus and Credit Karma.
| Rating | FICO score | VantageScore | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional / Excellent | 800–850 | 781–850 | Best rates; routine approvals |
| Very good | 740–799 | — | Near-best rates |
| Good | 670–739 | 661–780 | Approved by most lenders |
| Fair | 580–669 | 601–660 | Approvals possible, at higher rates |
| Poor | 300–579 | 500–600 | Hard to get approved; start with a secured card |
| Very poor | — | 300–499 | Very limited options |
A 665 is "fair" under FICO and "good" under VantageScore, which is why your banking app and your mortgage lender can disagree by a whole band. FICO publishes exact weights; VantageScore ranks factors by influence instead. A gap of 20 to 40 points between models is normal. There is also more than one FICO score: FICO Score 8 is the most widely used, but mortgage and auto lenders use industry-specific versions, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now also accept VantageScore 4.0.
What Each Band Means in Practice
Exceptional (800–850 FICO). About 24% of Americans sit here; 1.76% hold a perfect 850 (Experian, 2025). Lowest rates, highest limits — with almost no difference between 800 and 850.
Very good (740–799 FICO). Another roughly 24%. Best mortgage rates at most lenders, preferred auto rates, premium cards. The band to aim for when buying a home.
Good (670–739 FICO). About 21%. Standard cards, conventional mortgages and auto loans at near-average rates. In the high 600s, the lines that matter are 670, then 740.
Fair (580–669 FICO). About 15%. Approvals are possible but expensive: higher rates, lower limits, larger deposits. A fair score still qualifies for an FHA mortgage with 3.5% down.
Poor (below 580 FICO). About 16%. Most unsecured cards and prime loans are out of reach. The route back is a secured card — a refundable deposit, small purchases, paid in full — and a clean run of on-time payments.
What Your Score Costs on a $400,000 Mortgage
The rates below are the national average 30-year fixed mortgage APRs by FICO band published by myFICO in October 2026, as reported by ConsumerAffairs. The payments are our own calculations on a $400,000 loan over 30 years.
| FICO band | Average APR | Monthly payment | Total interest, 30 years | Extra vs top band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 760 or higher | 7.39% | $2,766.79 | $596,045 | — |
| 700–759 | 7.61% | $2,827.05 | $617,737 | $21,692 |
| 680–699 | 7.78% | $2,873.95 | $634,621 | $38,576 |
| 660–679 | 7.79% | $2,876.71 | $635,617 | $39,572 |
| 640–659 | 7.90% | $2,907.22 | $646,600 | $50,555 |
| 620–639 | 8.07% | $2,954.60 | $663,656 | $67,611 |
The monthly gap between the top and bottom bands looks modest — $187.81 a month — but over 30 years it is $67,611 in extra interest, on the same house, for the same loan. Moving from 640 to 699 saves only about $33 a month, while the jump from the 620s to 700 saves $127.55 a month. These are national averages, not offers, and the table leaves out mortgage insurance — with less than 20% down, a lower score pays a higher PMI rate as well.
Extra interest on a $400,000 mortgage, by FICO band — total interest over 30 years above the 760+ band.
What Your Score Costs on a $30,000 Auto Loan
The figures below are Experian's Q2 2026 average APRs by credit tier, scored with VantageScore 4.0. The payments are our own calculations on a $30,000 new-car loan over 60 months.
| Credit tier | Average new-car APR | Monthly payment | Total interest, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 4.41% | $558.06 | $3,484 |
| Prime (661–780) | 6.15% | $582.08 | $4,925 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 9.71% | $633.14 | $7,988 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 13.52% | $690.60 | $11,436 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 16.11% | $731.30 | $13,878 |
The same car costs $173.23 more a month and $10,394 more in total interest between deep subprime and super prime. The steepest cliff sits between prime and near prime: crossing from 660 to 661 saves $51.06 a month. Used-car loans run higher across every tier — from 6.29% for super prime to 21.62% for deep subprime in Q2 2026. Across all borrowers, the average new-car APR was 6.35% and the average used-car APR was 11.19%.
How Lenders Actually Use Your Score
Lenders use your score to decide whether to approve you, to set your rate, and to set your other terms. The cut-offs below are the program minimums as of late 2026; individual lenders commonly add 20 to 40 points on top.
Conventional mortgage — 620 is the working minimum. In November 2025 Fannie Mae removed the hard 620 minimum from its automated underwriting system for new case files, and Freddie Mac did the same. In practice little changed: most lenders still require 620 to 640, and manual underwriting still starts at 620. Treat 620 as the planning line.
FHA mortgage — 580 with 3.5% down, 500 with 10% down. A score of 580 or higher qualifies for maximum financing with 3.5% down; scores of 500 to 579 are limited to 90% loan-to-value, which usually means at least 10% down. Most lenders still set their own floor between 580 and 620. FHA mortgage insurance lasts for the life of the loan with less than 10% down.
VA mortgage — no minimum set by the VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs sets no minimum credit score for a VA-backed loan; lenders add their own, typically around 580 to 620. VA loans need no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. USDA loans set no official minimum either (lenders usually look for around 640); jumbo loans typically require around 700.
Which score does the lender look at? Mortgage lenders pull all three bureaus and use your middle score; on a joint application they use the lower of the two middle scores. Card and auto lenders usually pull one bureau and one model.
The Five Factors Behind Your FICO Score
myFICO publishes the five categories that build a FICO score and the general weight each carries — a map of where points come from, not a formula.
Payment history — 35%. Whether you paid every account on time. A payment reported 30 days late is the most damaging ordinary event — it can stay on your report for up to seven years, though its impact shrinks as it ages.
Amounts owed — 30%. How much you owe, and how much of your available credit you are using. The revolving part — credit utilization — moves fastest, since card balances update every statement cycle.
Length of credit history — 15%. The age of your oldest and newest accounts, and the average age of all of them.
New credit — 10%. Recently opened accounts and recent applications. Each application usually triggers a hard inquiry, which stays on your report for about two years and affects your score for about the first year. For rate shopping, FICO treats multiple mortgage or auto inquiries within a short window as one inquiry.
Credit mix — 10%. The variety of account types you have handled. It carries the least weight — never take on debt just to diversify.
The key takeaway: payment history and amounts owed are 65% of a FICO score between them. Fix those two first: pay on time, and keep card balances low.
How Much Each Factor Can Move Your Score
There is no honest fixed number here: myFICO states plainly that it is not possible to measure the exact impact of a single factor without looking at your entire report. What can be said is the order of speed. Utilization moves fastest — card balances are reported once a month, so a payment made before your statement closing date shows up on your next report, usually within 30 to 45 days, and utilization has no memory in the most widely used FICO versions. Payment history moves slowest: a single late payment can take up to 12 months to recover from. A hard inquiry costs a few points for a few months.
The Fastest Legitimate Ways to Raise Your Score
There is no legal shortcut past the five factors — only a correct order of operations, ranked by how quickly each step shows up.
1. Pay card balances down before the statement closes — shows in 30 to 45 days. Utilization is calculated from the balance your issuer reports, usually the statement balance. A card with a $1,000 limit and a $900 balance is at 90%; paying $600 brings it to 30%, and paying $800 brings it to 10%. Across all your cards: $2,700 owed against $3,000 of limits is 90%; paying $1,800 brings the total to 30%. Check the Credit Utilization Calculator first, and our guide to what credit utilization is.
2. Ask for a higher limit — shows in 30 to 45 days. If your issuer raises a $1,000 limit to $2,000 and your balance stays at $300, utilization falls from 30% to 15%. Ask only if it will not trigger a hard inquiry.
3. Dispute errors — corrections typically take 30 to 45 days. Pull all three reports free at AnnualCreditReport.com and check every account, balance and late payment. A wrongly reported late payment or an account that is not yours can cost dozens of points. Dispute with the bureau in writing; the bureau generally has 30 days to investigate.
4. Bring past-due accounts current, then pay on time every time. An account that is currently past due hurts more than the same late payment from two years ago, so bringing it current stops the bleeding. Then set up autopay for at least the minimum on every account.
5. Do not close old cards, and do not open new ones before a big application. Closing a card cuts your total available credit, which raises utilization, and eventually shortens your average account age. Avoid both for at least six months before a mortgage application. If high-interest card debt is the problem, see our guide to whether a balance transfer card is worth it; if your monthly payments are stretching your income, read our guide to a good debt-to-income ratio.
What does not work: paying to remove accurate negative information, opening several cards at once, or carrying a balance — paying in full scores exactly the same, minus the interest.
How to Check Your Score Free
Start with the reports. Under federal law you can view your credit report from each of the three bureaus once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site the federal government authorizes for this (CFPB, last reviewed October 15, 2026). You can also request reports by phone at 877-322-8228 or by mail. Beware of look-alike sites promising a "free score" that require a trial subscription.
The free reports do not have to include a score — the report is the raw record. For the number itself, check your bank or card issuer's app, which usually shows a FICO or VantageScore free, or a bureau's free service such as Experian's free account, which shows a FICO Score 8. myFICO sells your full set of FICO versions. Checking your own score never lowers it: your own check is a soft inquiry.
Credit-Score Myths
"Checking my own score hurts it." No — your own checks are soft inquiries. "I need an 850." No — the top mortgage pricing tier stops at 780, and the top auto tier at 781. "I have one credit score." No — you have dozens, across three bureaus, two brands and several versions. "A high income means a high score." No — income is not in your credit report or your score. "Closing a card I do not use helps." Usually the opposite: it cuts your available credit and raises utilization. "Carrying a balance builds credit." No — paying in full builds the same history, without the interest. "I can pay to delete accurate negative items." No — accurate items stay until they age off, up to seven years; only errors can be removed early.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good credit score?
On the FICO scale of 300 to 850, a good credit score is 670 to 739. Scores of 740 to 799 are very good, and 800 or above is exceptional.
What credit score do I need for a mortgage?
Most lenders look for 620 or above on a conventional loan. FHA loans accept 580 with 3.5% down, or 500 to 579 with 10% down. The VA sets no minimum score. The best pricing starts at 740; the top tier stops at 780.
Why is my VantageScore different from my FICO score?
They are different models that weight the same facts differently and draw their band lines in different places — a 665 is fair under FICO and good under VantageScore. Lenders also use industry-specific FICO versions. A gap of 20 to 40 points is normal.
How fast can I raise my credit score?
Utilization changes can show up within 30 to 45 days — paying a $900 balance on a $1,000-limit card down to $100 takes utilization from 90% to 10%. Disputed errors are usually corrected within 30 to 45 days. A single late payment can take up to 12 months to recover from.
Does checking my own credit score lower it?
No. Your own checks are soft inquiries with no effect. Only a lender's hard inquiry, when you apply for credit, affects your score — by a few points for a few months.
How do I check my credit score for free?
Pull your three credit reports free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com. For the score itself, check your bank or card issuer's app, or use a bureau's free service such as Experian's free account.
Sources: myFICO — "What is a FICO Score" and "What's in your FICO Score" (ranges; factor weights 35/30/15/10/10); FICO Score Credit Insights Report, Fall 2026 — average FICO Score 714 (April 2026), 48.1% at 750+; Experian — average FICO Score 713 (September 2025) and "Average Car Loan Interest Rates by Credit Score" (Q2 2026: new-car APRs 4.41%–16.11%; averages 6.35% new, 11.19% used); ConsumerAffairs — "Mortgage Rates by Credit Score" (myFICO average APRs, October 2026); Equifax, Credit Karma — VantageScore bands; CFPB — free weekly reports at AnnualCreditReport.com (October 15, 2026); Fannie Mae SEL-2025-09, Freddie Mac guidance (no minimum score for automated approvals, November 2025); HUD — FHA minimums; VA — no VA minimum. Mortgage and auto payments were calculated from the published APRs and match myFICO's published $300,000 figures when scaled. Rates are national averages, not offers — confirm pricing with a lender before you apply. This article explains the maths and is not financial advice.
Related reading: What Is Credit Utilization? The 30% Rule, Worked Out · What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio? The 36% and 43% Lines, Worked Out · Is a Balance Transfer Card Worth It? The Break-Even Test
Planning a home purchase or a big loan? Your credit score sets the price before you ever see a rate sheet. Book a free consultation with Asad Webs — we will help you work out the numbers before you apply.
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