Exceptional
800–850 · 22.8% of Americans
The Exceptional label starts at 800; our top daily FICO reference band starts at 780.
Rates updated October 29, 2026
What every credit score gets you, and what it costs
See how published average rates change between credit score bands. Enter a score to see its band, the points to the next threshold, and what reaching it saves using the latest published reference rates.
Average rate by FICO band
8.08%620
7.9%640
7.79%660
7.75%680
7.63%700
7.58%720
7.47%740
7.39%760
7.29%780
9.19%640
8.3%660
7.5%680
6.85%700
6.4%720
6.38%740
6.24%760
6.2%780
713Average FICO Score in the U.S.Experian, 2025 data
50%of Americans score 740 or higherExperian, 2025 data
$191/moMortgage gap, 620 vs. 780+$350,000, 30 years, latest published rates
$50/moCar loan gap, 640 vs. 780+$35,000, 60 months, latest published rates
How the ladder works
Lenders price bands, not points
These national average rate tables group scores into bands. For example, 681 and 699 share a reference rate here. Individual lenders can use different models, thresholds and prices.
The next threshold is what counts
The useful question is not how high your score is but how far the next band starts. Sometimes it is one point away; sometimes it is worth nothing.
Each rung has a price tag
We put a dollar figure on every step, using national average rates by band that refresh daily, so you can see how the estimated cost changes. Your actual offer also depends on income, debts, down payment and lender.
The five FICO ranges, and how many people are in each
Share of consumers with a FICO Score 8 in each range. Source: Experian, 2025 data, published March 2026.
Every threshold and every score, from the top down
Rates are national averages for the band that starts at each threshold: $350,000 30-year fixed mortgage and $35,000 new car over 60 months, as of October 29, 2026. FHA thresholds from HUD.
Very good
740–799 · 27.5% of Americans
Near the top of every lender's price list. The rungs left are small, and almost all on the mortgage.
Good
670–739 · 20.1% of Americans
A good score can give you a wider choice of lenders. This is the stretch where published reference bands can still change the estimate.
Fair
580–669 · 14.9% of Americans
The doors open: FHA mortgages, most car lenders, starter cards. The prices are the problem.
Poor
300–579 · 14.7% of Americans
Credit is still possible, but on the lender's terms: deposits, co-signers and high rates.
Questions people ask about their score
- Buy now or improve your credit first?Compare the benefit of better loan terms with the real cost of delaying your purchase.
- Which credit score do lenders use?The model, bureau and date that make a score relevant to your mortgage, car or card application.
- Why your app score differs from your lender’sCheck model, bureau and date before deciding that a score difference means something is wrong.
- Is a 900 credit score possible?Where the 900 comes from, and the highest score you can actually get today.
- What credit score do you start with?There is no starting score. What happens instead, and how long a first score takes.
- Why did my credit score drop?The usual causes, ranked by how often they explain a sudden drop.
- Do medical bills affect your credit score?What the bureaus removed in 2022 and 2023, and what can still show up.
- How to remove collections from your credit reportWhat legally removes a collection, when it must drop off, and which scores ignore it once paid.
- Does buy now, pay later affect your credit score?Affirm reports, Klarna and Afterpay mostly don't, and why on-time plans barely touch your score.
- Does opening or closing a bank account affect your credit score?Deposit accounts and credit scores are separate, but debt, inquiries and missed payments can connect them.
- What credit score do you need for a car loan or lease?No minimum, but a steep price ladder: the FICO Auto Score dealers pull and what each tier paid in 2026.
- How often does your credit score update?Lenders report about monthly, each on its own day. How long payments, disputes and new accounts take.
- What does a charge-off mean on your credit report?A charge-off ends the lender's hopes, not your debt. How long it stays and when it can come off.
- Do student loans affect your credit score?How federal and private loans are reported after the 2025 restart, and when your credit matters to borrow.
- What credit score do you need to buy a house?FHA's 500 and 580, the conventional 620 that Fannie Mae dropped, and where mortgage fees stop falling.
- How long do late payments stay on your credit report?Under 30 days late, nothing is reported. After that, how long the mark stays and how to get it off.
- What credit score do you need to rent an apartment?No official minimum exists. What landlords' screening reports check, and your rights if one turns you down.
Where the numbers come from
Rates by score band refresh every day from national averages. Eligibility lines come from the agencies that set them: HUD for FHA loans, Fannie Mae for conventional loans. Below the bands lenders publish, we use Experian's quarterly car-finance data. Every page lists its sources with dates. We take no money from lenders and run no affiliate links.
- Rates by FICO bandmyFICO Loan Savings Calculator (Curinos), daily
- FHA minimumsHUD Handbook 4000.1, Mortgagee Letter 2026-11
- Conventional loansFannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01
- Car loans below 640Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026
- Score rangesmyFICO; VantageScore