What credit score should a 20 year old have?
At 20 years old, you will likely have a lower score due to the shorter length of credit history and income. The average FICO credit score for this age range is around 679, which is considered "good" or "very good" but is relatively lower than someone older with more credit history.
What's a good credit score for a 20-year-old? Consider yourself in “good” shape if your credit score is above the average for people in your age group. Given that the average credit score for people aged 18 to 25 is 679, a score between 679 and 687 (the average for people aged 26 to 41) could be considered “good”.
According to Experian® data, the average American credit score for the age group 18-24 was 679 as of September 2022. This falls in the good FICO® credit score range (670-739). But there is no ideal or exact credit score you must have as soon as you turn 20 since everyone's financial journey is different.
But if you're in your 20s and just starting out, a score of 700 or higher may be tough as you're just establishing your credit history. In fact, according to Credit Karma, the average credit score for 18-24 year-olds is 630 and the average credit score for 25-30 year-olds is 628.
A 705 credit score is within the "good" band on the common credit score range of 300 to 850. How does your score compare with others? You're in the middle of the good credit score category, which ranges from 690 to 719. You beat by 5 points the average Vantage 3.0 score of 700 as of October 2023.
Is having a 600 credit score good? A FICO® Score of 600 is considered to be a fair credit score. A score of 670 to 739 is considered good.
Scores between 661 and 780 are considered good credit scores. Anything over 780 is excellent.
Technically, a 710 credit score is high enough to qualify for a home loan. In the tight real estate market, some lenders choose more restrictive qualifications to further reduce the risk that the loan won't be repaid.
The “prime range” runs from 661 through 780. If your credit score is anywhere between 700 to 709, you are in the middle of this segment, and you can get competitive rates to finance your vehicle. However, these depend on your shopping habits, income, and debt-to-income ratio.
Scores 720 and above are considered excellent, while scores 630 to 689 are considered fair. Scores below 630 fall into the bad credit range.
How rare is a 720 credit score?
Credit Score | Tier | Percentage of Americans |
---|---|---|
720 – 850 | Excellent | 38.12% |
660 – 719 | Good | 17.33% |
620 – 659 | Fair/Limited | 13.47% |
300 – 619 | Bad | 31.08% |
An 800 credit score is not as rare as most people think, considering that roughly 23% of adults have a credit score in the 800-850 range, according to data from FICO. A score in this range allows consumers to access the best credit card offers and loans with the most favorable terms.
In the U.S., the average credit score is 716, per Experian's latest data from the second quarter of 2023. And when you break down the average credit score by age, the typical American is hovering near or above that score.
As someone with a 650 credit score, you are firmly in the “fair” territory of credit. You can usually qualify for financial products like a mortgage or car loan, but you will likely pay higher interest rates than someone with a better credit score. The "good" credit range starts at 690.
The average 25-year-old is the upper limit for Gen Z and the average FICO® credit score for Gen Z (between ages 18-25 years) is 679, according to 2022 Experian® data. This falls in the lower limit of the “good” credit score range (670-739). This score is just a reference number.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 740 to 799, that is considered Very Good.
You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with scores as low as 500. Whether you qualify for a specific loan type also depends on personal factors like your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and income.
The amount you can borrow will vary by lender, but you can typically take out a loan between $1,000 and $50,000 with a 600 credit score. Keep in mind that the more you borrow, the more you'll pay in interest. Make sure to only borrow what you need — and can afford to repay.
In general, you'll need a FICO credit score of at least 600 to qualify for a traditional auto loan, but the minimum credit score required with vary from lender to lender.
While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.
How rare is a 700 credit score?
Mortgages with a 703 Credit Score
More than 40% of first mortgages go to borrowers with credit scores below 740, so you should be able to finance your home purchase without much issue.
On a salary of $45,000 per year, you can afford a house priced at around $120,000 with a monthly payment of $1,050 for a conventional home loan — that is, if you have no debt and can make a down payment. This number assumes a 6% interest rate.
The 28/36 rule holds that if you earn $60k and don't pay too much to cover your debt each month, you can afford housing expenses of $1,400 a month. Another rule of thumb suggests you could afford a home worth $180,000, or three times your salary.
Assuming you have enough in savings to cover the down payment, closing costs and cost of regular upkeep, yes, you probably could afford a $200K home on a $50K annual salary. Using our example above, the monthly mortgage payment on a $200K home, including taxes and insurance, would be about $1,300.
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