Wealthy PotWhat Is a Good Credit Score? The Ranges, and What Each One Gets You
A good credit score is 670 or higher on the FICO scale, which runs from 300 to 850. FICO calls 740 to 799 "very good" and 800 and above "exceptional." VantageScore, the other big scoring brand, uses the same 300-850 scale but draws its lines elsewhere: 661 to 780 is "prime" and 781 and up is "superprime." This page lays out both sets of ranges, then shows what each tier actually gets you, using the published rules that mortgage lenders and federal agencies apply.
Table of Contents
The Short Answer
- 670+ is good on FICO's scale. FICO describes that range as "near or slightly above the average of U.S. consumers" and says most lenders consider it a good score.
- 740+ is very good, 800+ is exceptional. Below 580 is "poor," and 580 to 669 is "fair."
- The average is about 714 on FICO (April 2026) and 701 on VantageScore 4.0 (August 2026). About 70% of consumers have 670 or more, in Experian's data.
- For a mortgage, 780 is the practical ceiling. Fannie Mae's credit-score pricing tops out at "780 or above," so a 780 and an 850 pay the same score-based fee.
- The floors are low. FHA allows 3.5% down from a 580 score and 10% down from 500 to 579. Fannie Mae's automated underwriting has had no fixed minimum score since November 2025.
- Half of new mortgage borrowers in the second quarter of 2026 had a VantageScore 4.0 of 764 or higher, per the New York Fed. For new car loans the median was 716.
Credit Score Ranges: FICO and VantageScore
FICO groups its base scores into five bands. These are FICO's own labels, from its consumer site myFICO:
| FICO Score | Rating | How FICO describes it |
|---|---|---|
| 800-850 | Exceptional | Well above the U.S. average; an exceptional borrower |
| 740-799 | Very good | Above average; a very dependable borrower |
| 670-739 | Good | Near or slightly above average; most lenders consider it good |
| 580-669 | Fair | Below average, though many lenders will approve loans |
| 300-579 | Poor | Well below average; signals a risky borrower |
VantageScore, a "tri-bureau" model built to score files from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion alike, uses four tiers on the same 300-850 scale:
| VantageScore | Tier |
|---|---|
| 781-850 | Superprime |
| 661-780 | Prime |
| 601-660 | Near prime |
| 300-600 | Subprime |
Two details catch people out. First, the cutoffs do not line up: a 665 is "fair" to FICO but "prime" to VantageScore. Second, FICO also sells industry-specific versions for auto lenders and card issuers (FICO Auto Score and FICO Bankcard Score), and those run from 250 to 900, not 300 to 850. If a car dealer quotes you an 870, that is why.
What Each Range Gets You
The labels matter less than the thresholds lenders actually use. Here is what the published rules say at each level:
| Score | What the published rules say |
|---|---|
| 780 and up | Best credit-score pricing bucket on Fannie Mae mortgages. Above 780, a higher score does not lower that fee. |
| 740-779 | Very good. Still pays a slightly higher Fannie Mae fee than 780+ (see the table below). Roughly at the median of new mortgage borrowers. |
| 670-739 | Good. Mainstream approval for most credit. Each 20-point step down raises mortgage pricing. |
| 620-669 | Fair. 620 is Fannie Mae's minimum for a manually underwritten fixed-rate mortgage (640 for an adjustable rate). |
| 580-619 | Fair. Eligible for an FHA mortgage with 3.5% down. |
| 500-579 | Poor. FHA still possible, but with at least 10% down. |
| Below 500 | Not eligible for an FHA-insured mortgage. |
For credit cards, personal loans and apartment applications there is no published industry cutoff; each lender or landlord sets its own. The CFPB's summary is the useful rule of thumb: a higher score usually makes it easier to qualify and may get you a better rate, and scores are used to set your credit limit too.
What Credit Score You Need to Buy a House
Mortgages are where the score bands are written down most precisely, because the federal agencies publish their rules.
FHA loans. HUD's handbook ties your down payment to your "Minimum Decision Credit Score." At 580 or above you are "eligible for maximum financing," which for a purchase is 96.5% of the home's value, so 3.5% down. Between 500 and 579 you are "limited to a maximum LTV of 90%," so 10% down. Below 500, FHA will not insure the loan. On a hypothetical $300,000 home, that is the difference between $10,500 and $30,000 down. If three scores are pulled, HUD uses the middle one; with more than one borrower, the lowest of those.
Conventional loans (Fannie Mae). If a loan is manually underwritten, the minimum is 620 for a fixed rate and 640 for an adjustable rate. Loans run through Fannie Mae's automated system, Desktop Underwriter, have had no set minimum score since a November 2025 change; the system weighs the whole credit file instead. In practice the score still drives the price.
That price is visible in Fannie Mae's loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs), a one-time fee charged on each loan by credit score and down payment. Here are the current figures for a purchase with 20% down:
| Credit score | LLPA (75.01-80% LTV) | On a $360,000 loan |
|---|---|---|
| 780 or above | 0.375% | $1,350 |
| 760-779 | 0.625% | $2,250 |
| 740-759 | 0.875% | $3,150 |
| 720-739 | 1.250% | $4,500 |
| 700-719 | 1.375% | $4,950 |
| 680-699 | 1.750% | $6,300 |
| 660-679 | 1.875% | $6,750 |
| 640-659 | 2.250% | $8,100 |
| 639 or below | 2.750% | $9,900 |
Fannie Mae charges this fee to the lender, and lenders recover it through the interest rate or as points at closing, so the exact cost to you depends on the lender. The shape is what matters: on this hypothetical loan, a 780 borrower carries an $8,550 smaller fee than a borrower at 639 or below, and every step in between costs something. Moving from 735 to 740 crosses a band; moving from 790 to 820 does nothing for this fee. Mortgage insurance, which conventional loans need with less than 20% down, is priced separately.
How do real buyers compare? The New York Fed found the median credit score on new mortgages was 764 in the second quarter of 2026, with a quarter of borrowers at 715 or lower and one in ten at 659 or lower. Those figures use VantageScore 4.0, which the New York Fed switched to in early 2026. For the cash side of a purchase, see our guide to the average down payment on a house, and run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
VA loans. The Department of Veterans Affairs sets no minimum score. Its Buyer's Guide says "VA does NOT require a minimum credit score," but adds that lenders "may want borrowers to have a minimum credit score of 620, unless there is a large down payment." If one lender turns you down on score alone, another may not.
USDA rural loans. USDA's handbook (HB-1-3555, chapter 10, revised August 2025) does not set a fixed minimum either. For loans run through its automated system, "GUS will determine the acceptable credit score." Manually underwritten USDA loans need a validated score and a closer review of your credit history. You may still see "640" quoted for USDA loans; that is not a number the current handbook chapter states.
What Credit Score You Need for a Car Loan
There is no federal minimum for car loans, and many auto lenders use a FICO Auto Score (250-900) rather than a base score. The New York Fed data shows who actually gets financed: the median score on new auto loans was 716 in the second quarter of 2026, down seven points from the first quarter. A quarter of new auto borrowers had 639 or less and one in ten had 580 or less, so car loans reach much further down the scale than mortgages do.
Being approved is not the same as getting a good rate. Lower-scored borrowers pay a lot more for the same car; our average car payment page breaks down rates and payments by credit tier.
Where Most People Sit
| FICO range | Share of consumers (2025) |
|---|---|
| Exceptional (800-850) | 22.8% |
| Very good (740-799) | 27.5% |
| Good (670-739) | 20.1% |
| Fair (580-669) | 14.9% |
| Poor (300-579) | 14.7% |
So about half of consumers are at 740 or higher, and roughly 70% clear the 670 "good" line. A "good" score is common; it is not an elite result. The national average is 714 on FICO's own reading (April 2026, flat since October 2025) and 701 on VantageScore 4.0 (August 2026). The two numbers differ because they are different models, not because one is wrong.
Scores also rise with age, because the formula rewards long histories and on-time records. Experian puts the average baby boomer at 747 and Gen Z at 678. Our average credit score by age page has the full breakdown. For retirees there is one reassurance worth knowing: FICO states that its scores do not consider your age or your income, so retiring and living on a pension or Social Security does not lower your score by itself.
Which Score Lenders Actually Use (and What Changed in 2026)
The CFPB puts it plainly: you do not have just one credit score. Your number varies by scoring model, by which bureau's data is used, and by the day it is calculated. A free app score is often a VantageScore; FICO says the most widely used version is FICO Score 8. Mortgage lenders have long used older "Classic FICO" versions (FICO Score 2, 5 and 4, one per bureau). Our piece on whether Credit Karma is accurate explains why your numbers disagree.
2026 brought the biggest change to mortgage scoring in decades:
- April 22, 2026: FHFA and HUD announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would begin accepting VantageScore 4.0 through a limited rollout, and that FHA would add VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T.
- September 9, 2026: VantageScore 4.0 opened to all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac approved lenders. Lenders can choose Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0 loan by loan, but must use the same model for every borrower on a loan.
- September 30, 2026: the two companies aligned their upfront fees so the same score grid applies under either model.
- January 1, 2027: FHA's implementation date for accepting VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, per FHA INFO 2026-21.
- Still pending: FICO 10T is approved but "not currently eligible for delivery" to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and FHFA has announced no retirement date for Classic FICO.
What this means for you: the score your lender pulls could now come from either model, and the two can differ by a fair amount for the same file. Ask the lender which model it uses before you apply. If you have a thin file or a rent payment history, the newer models may score you where the old one could not.
Is 600, 650, 700, 750 or 800 a Good Score?
- 600: Fair on FICO, subprime on VantageScore (which tops out its subprime band at 600). Qualifies for an FHA loan with 3.5% down, but is below Fannie Mae's 620 manual-underwriting floor.
- 650: Fair on FICO, near prime on VantageScore. Clears the 620 and 640 Fannie Mae floors, but sits in the 640-659 pricing band, which costs 2.25% at 20% down.
- 700: Good. A little below the 714 national FICO average. Mainstream approval, but mid-table mortgage pricing (1.375% at 20% down).
- 750: Very good on FICO, prime on VantageScore. Close to the 764 median of new mortgage borrowers. Getting to 760, then 780, still trims mortgage fees.
- 800: Exceptional on FICO and superprime on VantageScore. Already in Fannie Mae's top pricing band; past this point, extra points are mostly bragging rights.
If you are below where you want to be, the two levers that move fastest are paying card balances down before the statement date and correcting report errors. Our tips to increase your credit score rank the options by speed, and what drives your FICO Score explains the factor weights. Starting with no file at all is a different problem, covered in how to build credit from zero.
What Moves Your Score, and How to Check It Free
FICO publishes the weights its scores give to each part of your credit report:
| Factor | Weight | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Payment history | 35% | Whether you have paid past accounts on time |
| Amounts owed | 30% | How much of your available credit you are using |
| Length of credit history | 15% | How long your accounts have been open |
| New credit | 10% | Recent applications and newly opened accounts |
| Credit mix | 10% | The mix of cards, installment loans and mortgages |
Payment history and balances make up nearly two-thirds of the score, which is why the reliable ways up are paying on time and keeping card balances low relative to their limits. Our guides on how FICO scores are calculated and how to raise your credit score go factor by factor.
The highest possible score is 850 on the standard FICO and VantageScore scales. FICO's industry versions for auto lenders and card issuers run from 250 to 900, so a "900" you see quoted is one of those. For a mortgage, anything from 780 up already gets Fannie Mae's best score-based price.
Check your reports for free. The Federal Trade Commission says you can "always get your free, weekly report" from each of the three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site. Those are your credit reports, not your score. The FTC says checking regularly "can help protect your credit history from errors and help you spot signs of identity theft," and recommends checking before you apply for credit.
Sources & Methodology
- myFICO, What Is a FICO Score?, for the five FICO ranges and labels; FICO Score Versions for the 250-900 industry scores and mortgage versions; What's Not in Your Credit Score for age and income.
- VantageScore, The Guide to Your VantageScore Credit Score, for the four VantageScore tiers.
- VantageScore CreditGauge, August 2026 (September 24, 2026), for the 701 average VantageScore 4.0.
- FICO, Score Credit Insights report release (August 25, 2026), for the 714 national average.
- Experian, What Is the Average Credit Score in the U.S.? (March 30, 2026), Experian's own data, for the score distribution.
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Household Debt and Credit Report, 2026 Q2 (released August 2026), data workbook pages 7 and 9, for scores at origination.
- HUD Handbook 4000.1 (issued August 12, 2026), for the FHA 580 and 500 thresholds.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01 and B3-5.1-02, for minimum scores and the representative score.
- Fannie Mae Loan-Level Price Adjustment Matrix (dated 09.30.2026), for pricing by score.
- FHFA, Credit Scores (updated October 2, 2026) and the April 22, 2026 release, for the model changes.
- HUD, FHA TOTAL Mortgage Scorecard, for the January 1, 2027 FHA implementation date (FHA INFO 2026-21).
- CFPB, What Is a Credit Score?
- myFICO, What's in my FICO Scores?: factor weights.
- VA Home Loan Guaranty Buyer's Guide: no VA minimum credit score.
- USDA HB-1-3555, Chapter 10: Credit Analysis (revised 08-05-25): credit score rules for guaranteed rural loans.
- FTC, Free Credit Reports: free weekly reports from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Method notes. Range labels are each company's own. The New York Fed measures scores at origination from Equifax data and switched from Equifax Risk Score 3.0 to VantageScore 4.0 beginning in 2026 Q1, so 2026 figures are not directly comparable with earlier years. LLPA dollar figures are our arithmetic on a hypothetical loan; actual pricing depends on the lender, loan type and mortgage insurance. Fannie Mae's grid is one of several layers in a mortgage price, and FHA and VA loans are excluded from it.
This article is for general information and is not financial advice. Figures were checked against the primary sources on 2026-10-05: FICO, VantageScore, Experian, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, HUD, Fannie Mae, FHFA and the CFPB. Lenders set their own standards above these minimums, and your score depends on your credit report and the scoring model a lender uses.
FAQ
What is the highest credit score?
850 on the standard FICO and VantageScore scales. FICO's industry-specific versions for auto and card lenders run from 250 to 900. You do not need 850 for the best mortgage pricing: Fannie Mae's top score bracket starts at 780.
What is a bad credit score?
On FICO's scale, below 580 is "poor" and 580 to 669 is "fair." On VantageScore, 300 to 600 is "subprime." Below 580, FHA still allows a mortgage down to a 500 score, but with 10% down instead of 3.5%.
What credit score do you need for a VA or USDA loan?
Neither agency sets a fixed minimum. VA's Buyer's Guide says VA does not require one, though lenders often look for 620. USDA's automated underwriting system decides what score is acceptable for each file.
What is a good credit score?
On the FICO scale, 670 or higher. FICO rates 670-739 good, 740-799 very good and 800-850 exceptional. On VantageScore, 661-780 is prime and 781-850 superprime.
What credit score do I need to buy a house?
For an FHA loan, 580 to put 3.5% down, or 500 to 579 with 10% down. For a manually underwritten Fannie Mae loan, 620 for a fixed rate and 640 for an adjustable rate. Fannie Mae's automated underwriting has no fixed minimum, but pricing improves in steps up to 780.
What is the highest credit score possible?
850 on base FICO Scores and VantageScore. FICO's industry-specific Auto and Bankcard scores go up to 900.
Is 700 a good credit score?
Yes. 700 falls in FICO's good range (670-739) and VantageScore's prime range (661-780). It is slightly below the national FICO average of 714.
Is there any benefit to a score above 800?
Little on a mortgage. Fannie Mae's best credit-score pricing applies at 780 and above, so an 800 or 850 pays the same score-based fee as a 780. A higher score gives you more margin if something drags it down later.
What is the average credit score in the U.S.?
714 on FICO's reading for April 2026, and 701 on VantageScore 4.0 for August 2026. Experian's own data put the FICO Score 8 average at 713 in September 2025.
Why is my FICO Score different from my VantageScore?
They are separate models with different formulas and different tier cutoffs, and each can be calculated from a different bureau's data on a different day. The CFPB notes you do not have just one credit score.
Can mortgage lenders use VantageScore now?
Yes for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans: since September 9, 2026 every approved lender may use VantageScore 4.0 instead of Classic FICO. FHA is scheduled to accept VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T from January 1, 2027.
Does retiring lower my credit score?
Not by itself. FICO states that its scores do not consider your age, salary or employment. What matters is how you keep paying and using the accounts you have.
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"What Is a Good Credit Score? The Ranges, and What Each One Gets You." Wealthy Pot, 2026. https://wealthypot.com/what-is-a-good-credit-score/
