What is the Average Credit Score by State in the US?
Have you ever wondered just how well your credit stacks up compared to others? Maybe you think you have the worst credit anyone can have, or maybe you think you are doing pretty good. We have compiled a list of the average credit score of 50 states as well as the factors that contribute to those scores.
Average Credit Score By State
Credit scores fluctuate among states, which should not be confusing. Different states have different types of workforces, costs of living, assistance programs, and much more. Here we have listed the average credit scores across the country, but it does not stop there. We have included several statistics from each state that contribute to the different credit scores. Take a look at how your state does in comparison to others:
| State | Average Vantage Score | Average FICO Score | Population | Average Income | Average Credit Card Balance | Average Mortgage Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 671 | 691 | 5,097,641 | $56,929 | $5,047 | $160,373 |
| Alaska | 697 | 723 | 740,339 | $81,133 | $6,617 | $257,762 |
| Arizona | 698 | 712 | 7,379,346 | $70,821 | $5,157 | $251,478 |
| Arkansas | 677 | 694 | 3,040,207 | $50,784 | $4,791 | $145,102 |
| California | 709 | 721 | 40,223,504 | $81,575 | $5,120 | $421,535 |
| Colorado | 714 | 730 | 5,997,070 | $84,954 | $5,541 | $300,493 |
| Connecticut | 710 | 725 | 3,615,499 | $80,958 | $6,040 | $230,408 |
| Delaware | 696 | 714 | 1,017,551 | $68,687 | $5,462 | $214,975 |
| District Of Columbia | 699 | 716 | 712,816 | $90,640 | $5,671 | $447,267 |
| Florida | 689 | 707 | 22,359,251 | $59,734 | $5,623 | $223,804 |
| Georgia | 674 | 694 | 11,019,186 | $61,497 | $5,693 | $204,106 |
| Hawaii | 716 | 732 | 1,483,762 | $82,199 | $5,614 | $409,711 |
| Idaho | 706 | 727 | 1,920,562 | $76,918 | $4,582 | $226,049 |
| Indiana | 693 | 712 | 6,876,047 | $70,190 | $4,651 | $150,555 |
| Iowa | 711 | 729 | 3,233,572 | $72,429 | $4,289 | $148,746 |
| Illinois | 704 | 719 | 12,807,072 | $79,253 | $5,365 | $196,710 |
| Kansas | 701 | 721 | 2,963,308 | $75,979 | $5,063 | $161,861 |
| Kentucky | 680 | 702 | 4,555,777 | $55,629 | $4,521 | $148,519 |
| Louisiana | 669 | 689 | 4,695,071 | $57,206 | $5,127 | $169,479 |
| Maine | 708 | 728 | 1,372,559 | $71,139 | $4,676 | $169,295 |
| Maryland | 698 | 716 | 6,298,325 | $97,332 | $5,977 | $282,683 |
| Massachusetts | 720 | 732 | 7,174,604 | $86,566 | $5,141 | $306,893 |
| Michigan | 705 | 718 | 10,135,438 | $64,488 | $4,692 | $156,859 |
| Minnesota | 724 | 742 | 5,827,265 | $80,441 | $4,767 | $212,568 |
| Mississippi | 662 | 680 | 2,959,473 | $46,637 | $4,587 | $139,800 |
| Missouri | 692 | 712 | 6,204,710 | $63,594 | $4,950 | $162,955 |
| Nebraska | 715 | 731 | 2,002,052 | $78,109 | $167,021 | |
| Nevada | 681 | 702 | 3,225,832 | $64,340 | $5,422 | $272,724 |
| New Hampshire | 718 | 734 | 1,395,847 | $88,841 | $5,327 | $216,855 |
| New Jersey | 710 | 724 | 9,438,124 | $88,559 | $5,978 | $280,711 |
| New Mexico | 683 | 699 | 2,135,024 | $53,463 | $4,948 | $184,449 |
| New York | 712 | 721 | 20,448,194 | $72,920 | $5,414 | $283,954 |
| North Carolina | 684 | 707 | 10,710,558 | $62,891 | $5,121 | $198,442 |
| North Dakota | 715 | 733 | 811,044 | $68,882 | $4,865 | $196,027 |
| Ohio | 695 | 715 | 11,878,330 | $62,689 | $4,888 | $150,318 |
| Oklahoma | 675 | 693 | 4,021,753 | $60,096 | $5,271 | $155,014 |
| Oregon | 713 | 732 | 4,359,110 | $81,855 | $4,681 | $285,070 |
| Pennsylvania | 708 | 723 | 13,092,796 | $72,627 | $5,080 | $173,813 |
| South Carolina | 675 | 696 | 5,266,343 | $62,542 | $5,310 | $179,329 |
| South Dakota | 717 | 734 | 908,414 | $73,893 | $4,633 | $179,408 |
| Tennessee | 682 | 702 | 7,080,262 | $62,166 | $5,006 | $187,394 |
| Texas | 67 | 693 | 30,345,487 | $67,404 | $5,848 | $203,260 |
| Utah | 708 | 730 | 3,423,935 | $87,649 | $4,900 | $289,185 |
| Vermont | 721 | 736 | 648,279 | $76,079 | $4,653 | $174,991 |
| Virginia | 700 | 721 | 8,820,504 | $80,268 | $5,992 | $263,296 |
| Washington | 715 | 735 | 7,999,503 | $87,648 | $5,238 | $333,158 |
| West Virginia | 679 | 700 | 1,775,932 | $46,836 | $4,686 | $130,657 |
| Wisconsin | 717 | 735 | 5,955,737 | $69,943 | $4,376 | $169,242 |
| Wyoming | 678 | 723 | 580,817 | $71,052 | $5,182 | $204,201 |
Now let’s take a look at what credit scores are and how they are determined.
Understanding Credit Score Grades
Your credit report is kind of like the report cards we were given in school. It tells you how you are doing, what problems you have, and changes you need to make, such as the debts you need to repay. It even gives you both a letter and a number grade. Just like a 90 and up on an assignment was an “A”, credit score ranges have their own, which are as follows:
Under 620 = Bad
620 – 659 = Poor
660 – 719 = Average/Fair
720 and Up = Excellent/Prime
The important thing to know is that the grade might fluctuate a little between those giving the grades, but the above chart gives you a basic idea. And it is that grading system that we will be using throughout this report when grading each state.
Understanding Credit Score Factors
Credit scores are calculated with a number of factors in mind, and those factors come with a certain weight. Each credit bureau puts a different weight on each factor, but the factors remain the same. Understanding credit score factors is an important step toward having good credit. They are:
Credit Utilization Ratio- Around 35 percent of the score
Your credit utilization is determined by comparing the amount of credit you have available and the amount of that available credit that you are using. Say, for instance, you have $10,000 of credit available to you but you are only using $2,500 of it. In this case, your credit utilization would be 25 percent.
You always want to keep your credit utilization under 30 percent. The higher your utilization, the more negative the impact on your credit score. You can decrease credit utilization by either opening new credit or paying off debt. The latter is usually a better move than putting yourself in greater debt.
Credit Mix- About 10 percent of the score
Credit mix is all about the combination of credit you have between revolving debt and installment debt. Having just one kind or even much more of one than the other typically has a negative impact on your score.
Age of Credit- About 15 percent of the score
Your age of credit is simply about how long you have had credit. The older the accounts on your credit the better your score.
Payment History- Around 35 percent of the score
How well have you kept past and present credit obligations? Have you made your payments on time? The better your credit habits, the better your score.
Credit Inquiries- Around 10 percent of the score
Credit inquiries are what show up when you apply for credit. The fewer you have, the better your score.
Learn how to Take care of your credit. Visit the creditry store.
Average Credit Score By Income Range
Whether we like it or not, income does affect our credit scores. Take a look:
Low Income- 658
Moderate Income- 692
Middle Income- 735
Upper Income- 774
It is not that you get an actual grade for your amount of income. Making $200 a week does not mean that the credit bureaus are going to automatically give you a low grade. Income impacts your credit score a little more indirectly. Here are a few ways:
Lower income means lower approved credit. The less credit one has available, the higher the credit utilization is likely to be. The more income you make, the less risky lenders see you, leading to higher credit amounts.
The lower your income, the more likely you will have trouble making payments. This is not about judgment- I’m right here with you. Those of us who make little usually live paycheck to paycheck. If something unexpected happens, like sickness or job loss, we are the most likely to be financially stressed or even ruined because we usually have no emergency fund built up. All of this means that the lower the income, the more likely the chance of a poor credit history.
Low-income citizens are also more likely to have multiple credit inquiries on their report from trying to locate someone willing to help. With unfavorable income, many lenders will turn us down, so we have to keep applying.
Again, those are just a few ways income can affect credit, but you can probably think of several more pretty easily. As you take a look at the average credit score of each state, also pay attention to the listed income and other factors.
Conclusion
So, how did you do? Are you better off than you thought you were or were these different credit scores eye-opening for you? The good news is that no matter where your credit is today, you can always improve your credit.
Don’t let these statistics and each state's average credit score get you down if your credit is on the low side. Instead, let it propel you forward. Pay attention to a credit score’s contributing factors listed here and work on those factors to reach your desired credit score goal.