There's no magic amount of credit that a person “should” have. Take as much credit as you're offered, try to keep your credit usage below 30 percent of your available credit and pay off your balances regularly. With responsible use and better credit card habits, you can maintain a good credit score.
Average credit scores by state in 2021
The latest available average credit score is 716, but looking at each state shows that most have a higher credit score than average. Minnesota had the highest credit score in the country as of 2021, the latest state data available from Experian, with an average score of 742.
In your 20s and 30s, a good credit score is between 663 and 671, while in your 40s and 50s, a good score is around 682. To get the best interest rates, terms and offers, aim for a credit score in the 700s.
For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750. In 2022, the average FICO® Score☉ in the U.S. reached 714.
A credit score of 800 means you have an exceptional credit score, according to Experian. According to a report by FICO, only 23% of the scorable population has a credit score of 800 or above.
A perfect score generally requires years of exemplary financial behavior, like making on-time payments, keeping a low credit utilization ratio, and maintaining a long history of credit accounts. A wide credit mix and only a few hard credit checks also play a role in boosting your credit score.
According to Experian, the average credit score for people in their 30's is in the 668-680 range. Also, credit scores ranging from 661-780 are considered “good”. Therefore, if you are in your 30's and find your credit score in that range, then rest easy.
Keep in mind that when you're in your 20s, you're still establishing your credit history and your credit score takes into account the length of your credit history. Only time can help that part, so if you maintain good financial habits, the hope is that your score will elevate as you get older.
What is a good credit score for a 19-year-old? A score of 670 or above is considered a 'good' credit score. By 19, many students have gotten used to college and have had their first student credit card for a while. If you don't, that's alright — now is still a great time to get one.
The average credit limit in Australia is $9800, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia. However, you won't be assigned a range when you apply for a credit card and are approved. Instead, the issuer will assess your finances and approve you for a specific limit.
The average credit score among Australians is 846 according to credit reporting company Equifax. That means on average Australians have a 'very good' credit score. Women (858) have a higher average credit score than men (836), while the average credit score is higher for older Australians.
As such, if you have one of these cards, you might consider a $5,000 credit limit to be bad and a limit of $10,000 or more to be good. Overall, any credit limit of five figures or more is broadly accepted as a high credit limit. The main exception to the usual credit limit rules are secured credit cards.
Is a $10,000 credit limit good? Yes a $10,000 credit limit is good for a credit card. Most credit card offers have much lower minimum credit limits than that, since $10,000 credit limits are generally for people with excellent credit scores and high income.
The Takeaway. It usually takes a minimum of six months to generate your first credit score. Establishing good or excellent credit takes longer. If you follow the tips above for building good credit and avoid the potential pitfalls, your score should continue to improve.
It generally takes three to six months to build credit from nothing, and you can even have a decent score within a year. But getting an excellent credit rating will take at least a few years, and will require you to demonstrate consistently responsible credit card habits.
However, it's generally a good idea to have two or three active credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit such as student loans, an auto loan or a mortgage. Just remember: The number of credit cards you own is less important than how you use them.
You can improve your credit score by opening accounts that report to the credit bureaus, maintaining low balances, paying your bills on time and limiting how often you apply for new accounts.
Even if you no longer use an old credit card, it's typically best to keep the account open. That's because your credit scores benefit from a long credit history and a high total credit limit. Closing established accounts will shorten the average age of your accounts and lower your total credit limit.
But how long does it take to get a 800 credit score? While scores of 800 and above are considered excellent and highly sought after, it can be difficult to achieve a score that high. It can take several years of on-time payments and paying down your balances to reach that score.
And when people talk about achieving the “highest” credit score possible, they're usually talking about the ever-elusive 850 FICO® Score. Earning a perfect 850 FICO Score isn't common, but it's certainly possible.
FICO & Vantage both set the lowest possible credit score at 300. However, almost nobody has this low of a score. In fact, according to FICO, the average credit score in America is 704. A bad FICO credit score ranges from 300-579, while a bad Vantage score ranges 300-499.