What a 580 credit score gets you
Mortgage
Possible
An FHA loan with 3.5% down is within reach: 580 is HUD's line for maximum financing. Conventional is harder. Fannie Mae dropped its 620 floor for loans run through its automated system in November 2025, but lenders are free to keep their own minimums, and manual underwriting generally requires 620 for fixed-rate loans and 640 for ARMs, with other requirements and exceptions.
Car loan
Limited
Available, mostly from subprime lenders, dealer financing and some credit unions. Expect a rate around 13.52% on a new car and 19.1% on a used one, the Experian averages for this tier, and a lender that wants a bigger down payment.
Credit cards
Limited
Secured cards are the reliable route, plus a few unsecured cards built for fair credit. Expect low limits and an APR well above the 22.15% the Federal Reserve reports as the average on cards charging interest.
Renting
Possible
Many landlords screen credit, and a score this low can mean a larger deposit, a co-signer or a no. A steady rent history and proof of income carry a lot of weight in that conversation.
These are broad credit-score categories, not approval odds. Lenders also assess income, debt, credit history and their own requirements.
What 580 costs you in interest
The rate data lenders publish by FICO band stops at 620 for mortgages and 640 for car loans, so a 580 score has no exact line on those staircases. For cars, Experian publishes average rates by VantageScore tier every quarter. Using those averages on a $35,000 new car over 60 months:
If your VantageScore 4.0 is 580
Subprime · 501–600. A FICO 580 does not establish this VantageScore.
$460.40/mo · $7,624 total interest
$519.91/mo · $11,195 total interest
Illustration: $20,000 financed over 60 months at the quarterly average APR. Experian averages cover different loan terms; these are payment scenarios, not quotes for a 60-month loan. Compare your amount and another VantageScore →
$35,000 new car, 60 months, by VantageScore tier
| Score band | Rate | Monthly | Total interest | vs. best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 781–850 | 4.41% | $651 | $4,064 | – |
| 661–780 | 6.15% | $679 | $5,746 | +$1,681 |
| 601–660 | 9.71% | $739 | $9,320 | +$5,255 |
| 501–600 | 13.52% | $806 | $13,342 | +$9,278 |
| 300–500 | 16.11% | $853 | $16,191 | +$12,126 |
At the subprime average the payment is about $806 a month. At the nonprime average, one tier up, it is about $739. That is $4,023 over the loan for the same car. Averages from Experian's Q2 2026 report; VantageScore and FICO numbers are close but not identical for the same person.
For a mortgage at 580 the realistic route is FHA, which has no published rate table by score.
Your FHA down payment, in dollars
Compare the FHA minimum at 580 with 620 using the same home price.
3.5% minimum down payment
3.5% minimum down payment
The FHA minimum does not change at this step.
The minimum down payment is only one part of the loan decision. Closing costs, mortgage insurance and lender requirements are additional. These examples assume the price equals the FHA adjusted value; a lower appraisal can change the cash needed.
Source: HUD FHA credit-score and LTV rules →What would a different score cost?
Same loan. Two scores. See the difference.
VantageScore 4.0 scenarios · Experian Q2 2026. A FICO 580 does not establish a VantageScore of 580.
At 601 compared with 580
| Score | Reference rate | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 580 | 13.52% | $460.40 | $7,624.18 |
| 601 | 9.71% | $422.09 | $5,325.56 |
At 601, the estimate is $38.31 less per month and $2,298.62 less interest over the full term.
Car APR averages by VantageScore 4.0 tier, Experian Q2 2026. Both scores use the same quarterly dataset. Terms and amounts are illustrative; the averages are not specific to a 60-month loan. Methodology.
What this estimate includes
Estimates use national average bands, not an offer or approval prediction. Your lender may use a different score. Mortgage payments exclude taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and fees. Full-term interest assumes no refinancing, early payoff or extra payments.
How to get from 580 to 620
Forty points is a real climb, and how long it takes depends on why you are at 580. Start by finding out.
- Get all three reports and read every line. At this level a single wrong collection or a late payment that was not late can be the whole story. Dispute errors with each bureau that shows them; it is free and they must investigate.
- If your cards are near their limits, that is your fastest lever. Payment history is 35% of a FICO score and amounts owed are 30%. You cannot erase a late payment, but you can cut the balances your issuers report next month.
- Never miss another payment. Set every account to autopay the minimum. A new late payment now would undo months of progress.
- If your file is thin, add a secured card and use it lightly. One card, a small recurring charge, paid in full. FICO generally needs an account open at least six months and recent reporting to generate a score; a new account’s effect on an existing score is different.
Be wary of anyone who charges to remove accurate negative items. Accurate information can stay on your report for up to seven years, and nobody can make it disappear for a fee.
What a Fair score means (580 to 669)
The doors open: FHA mortgages, most car lenders, starter cards. The prices are the problem. 14.9% of Americans with a FICO score are in this range, according to Experian's 2025 data. What the fair range means in practice.
Questions about a 580 score
Can I buy a house with a 580 credit score?
Yes, with an FHA loan: 580 is the minimum HUD sets for a 3.5% down payment. Below 580, FHA requires 10% down, and below 500 you are not eligible.
Can I get a car loan with a 580 credit score?
Usually yes, at subprime prices. Experian's average for this tier in Q2 2026 was 13.52% on new cars and 19.1% on used ones.
Sources (10)
- HUD Handbook 4000.1 (FHA minimum credit scores) and Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, October 8, 2026
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01, General Requirements for Credit Scores
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide Announcement SEL-2025-09 (minimum score removed for DU loans), November 5, 2025
- Experian: State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026, August 2026
- Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit (credit card interest rates), October 7, 2026
- CFPB: Tenant background checks market report, November 2022
- AnnualCreditReport.com (free reports from all three bureaus)
- CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
- myFICO: What is a FICO Score? (score ranges and what goes into them)
- Experian: What is the average credit score in the U.S.? (share of consumers in each FICO range), 2025 data, published March 2026
Ask a question
Ask about a 580 score, or tell us what a lender offered you at this number. What readers report helps everyone on this page.