What a 660 credit score gets you
Mortgage
Options available
FHA and conventional products may be available; meeting a standard score threshold is not approval. From here the lender decides on the whole file, and the score mostly sets the price.
Car loan
Options available
myFICO's published rates put 660 in the 660-679 band, one step below the most expensive. If a lender uses VantageScore and yours is 661 or more, you are in the tier Experian's report calls Prime, where the Q2 2026 new-car average was 6.15%.
Credit cards
Possible
Issuers draw their own lines, and some cards aimed at good credit will approve 660 while others will not. One application at a time: a run of denials adds inquiries without adding cards.
Renting
Options available
There is no official minimum score for renting. If a landlord asks for more at 660, that is the landlord's policy, so ask what would satisfy it instead: a larger deposit, a co-signer or proof of income.
These are broad credit-score categories, not approval odds. Lenders also assess income, debt, credit history and their own requirements.
What 660 costs you in interest
On both staircases, 660 opens the 660-679 band: the third-most expensive on the mortgage, the second-most expensive on the car loan. Compare the next step on each. The car-loan bar drops a lot more at 680 than the mortgage bar does.
$350,000 mortgage, 30-year fixed
At 660: 7.79%, $2,517 a month, $556,165 in interest over the loan.
| Score band | Rate | Monthly | Total interest | vs. best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 780–850 | 7.29% | $2,397 | $512,963 | – |
| 760–779 | 7.39% | $2,421 | $521,539 | +$8,576 |
| 740–759 | 7.47% | $2,440 | $528,423 | +$15,460 |
| 720–739 | 7.58% | $2,466 | $537,923 | +$24,960 |
| 700–719 | 7.63% | $2,478 | $542,254 | +$29,290 |
| 680–699 Next | 7.75% | $2,507 | $552,679 | +$39,716 |
| 660–679 You | 7.79% | $2,517 | $556,165 | +$43,201 |
| 640–659 | 7.9% | $2,544 | $565,775 | +$52,812 |
| 620–639 | 8.08% | $2,588 | $581,580 | +$68,617 |
$35,000 new car, 60 months
At 660: 8.3%, $715 a month, $7,883 in interest.
| Score band | Rate | Monthly | Total interest | vs. best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 780–850 | 6.2% | $680 | $5,794 | – |
| 760–779 | 6.24% | $681 | $5,834 | +$39 |
| 740–759 | 6.38% | $683 | $5,971 | +$177 |
| 720–739 | 6.4% | $683 | $5,991 | +$196 |
| 700–719 | 6.85% | $691 | $6,434 | +$640 |
| 680–699 Next | 7.5% | $701 | $7,080 | +$1,285 |
| 660–679 You | 8.3% | $715 | $7,883 | +$2,088 |
| 640–659 | 9.19% | $730 | $8,786 | +$2,992 |
If your lender uses VantageScore, there is another line one point above you. Experian's Q2 2026 car-loan averages jump between Nonprime and Prime, the tier that starts at 661: 9.71% to 6.15% on new cars, 13.93% to 8.81% on used. Those are averages across all lenders and all borrowers in each tier, so read them as direction, not as your quote.
National averages by FICO band from myFICO (data: Curinos), as of October 29, 2026. The rate you are offered depends on the lender, your down payment, income and debts. Where these rates come from.
What would a different score cost?
Same loan. Two scores. See the difference.
At 680 compared with 660
| Score | Reference rate | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 660 | 7.79% | $2,517.12 | $556,164.73 |
| 680 | 7.75% | $2,507.44 | $552,679.43 |
At 680, the estimate is $9.68 less per month and $3,485.30 less interest over the full term.
Reference rates: 30-year fixed mortgages, October 29, 2026, myFICO (Curinos). Changing the amount or term holds these rates constant. 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 660 to 680
First, know where you stand: 660 is the bottom of its band. Lose a single point and the rate tables price you as 640-659 again. So protect before you climb.
- Keep applications rare. New credit is 10% of the score, and with no cushion one new account can drop you back under the line.
- Lower what your cards report. Amounts owed are 30% of a FICO score. If your issuer reports the statement balance, paying down before closing can lower what reaches the bureaus.
- Let accounts age. Length of history is 15% of the score, and it improves without any effort as long as you keep old cards open.
- Re-read your reports before a big application. A late payment reported by mistake is worth disputing at any score; at 660 it can be the difference between two bands.
If you have a car loan from a lower-score year, 660 is a sensible point to price a refinance, and 680 a better one. For a mortgage alone, do not hold a purchase for 680.
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 660 score
Is 660 a good credit score to buy a house?
It meets the standard FHA score threshold and the Fannie Mae general manual-underwriting score floors, but other program and lender requirements still apply. The mortgage price improves only slightly at 680, so from here the down payment and debt-to-income ratio carry more weight than a few more points.
Is 660 close to a good credit score?
Yes. It is ten points from 670, where FICO's Good range begins, and one point from 661, where VantageScore's Prime tier starts. Published lending rates do not change at 670, though; the next price break is 680.
Sources (11)
- myFICO Loan Savings Calculator (rates by FICO band, data: Curinos), updated daily
- 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
- Fannie Mae Loan-Level Price Adjustment Matrix, September 30, 2026
- HUD Handbook 4000.1 (FHA minimum credit scores) and Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, October 8, 2026
- Experian: State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026, August 2026
- VantageScore: The complete guide to your VantageScore, June 2025
- CFPB: Tenant background checks market report, November 2022
- myFICO: What is a FICO Score? (score ranges and what goes into them)
- CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
- Experian: What is the average credit score in the U.S.? (share of consumers in each FICO range), 2025 data, published March 2026
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