What Is a Good FICO Credit Score?

Your credit score touches more of your financial life than you might expect: mortgage rates, car loans, credit card approvals, even some rental and employment decisions. But "good" is a specific range, not just a vague target. Here's what actually counts as good, and what it can get you.

FICO Score Ranges

FICO scores run from 300 to 850, broken into five tiers:

• Exceptional: 800+
• Very good: 740-799
• Good: 670-739
• Fair: 580-669
• Poor: 300-579

The national average FICO score sits at 715, putting most Americans squarely in the "good" range. Roughly a quarter of Americans reach the "exceptional" tier of 800 or above.

What a Good Score Actually Gets You

Moving up a tier typically unlocks:

• Lower interest rates on loans and credit cards
• Better loan terms, including longer repayment periods and lower fees
• Higher credit limits and easier approval on new accounts
• Access to premium credit cards with stronger rewards
• Lower insurance premiums, in states where insurers factor in credit-based scores
• Waived security deposits from some utility and service providers
• More negotiating leverage on rates and terms with lenders

The exact perks vary by lender and provider, but the general pattern holds: higher score, more options, better pricing.

What Determines Your FICO Score?

Five factors make up your score, each weighted differently:

• Payment history (35%): Your track record of on-time payments. This is the single biggest factor, so a late payment can do real damage.
• Credit utilization (30%): How much of your available credit you're using. Keeping this under 30% is a common target.
• Length of credit history (15%): How long your accounts have been open. Keeping older accounts active helps here.
• New credit (10%): How many accounts you've recently opened and how many hard inquiries you have. Applying for several accounts in a short window can ding your score temporarily.
• Credit mix (10%): Whether you have a variety of account types, like credit cards and installment loans. This matters less than the other four, so it's not worth opening new accounts just to diversify.

What Score Do You Need to Buy a House or a Car?

For a mortgage: Conventional loans typically require a minimum score around 620, though FHA and VA loans can accept lower scores with the right down payment. In practice, buyers are increasingly outpacing that minimum: recent data shows median credit scores for home purchase loans running well into the 730s and higher, as elevated rates and prices have pushed out lower-credit borrowers. Scoring above 760 generally unlocks the best available rates.

For a car loan: A score of 660 or higher is generally considered a good starting point for competitive terms, with scores above 720 typically accessing the best rates. Approval standards shift with the broader lending environment, so it's worth checking current rate tiers when you're shopping.

A Few More Numbers Worth Knowing

• An estimated 26 million American adults are "credit invisible," meaning they have no credit history at all with any of the three major bureaus, according to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau study.
• About 1 in 10 credit files can't generate a FICO score due to limited or outdated activity.
• Only around half of adults check their credit score regularly; many go years without looking at it.

Checking your own score doesn't hurt it. It's worth reviewing at least a few times a year, both to catch errors and to track your progress.

FICO vs. VantageScore: What's the Difference?

FICO and VantageScore are the two major credit scoring models, both using a 300-850 scale and pulling from similar underlying data: payment history, utilization, credit history length, credit mix, and recent activity. FICO is the more established and widely used model among lenders. VantageScore was developed jointly by the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to offer a consistent scoring approach across all three.

Because lenders can choose which model to use, your FICO score and VantageScore may differ slightly. Checking both gives you a fuller picture of your credit health rather than relying on a single number.

Build Credit With Homebody

If you're renting, your monthly rent payment can work in your favor. Homebody's Rent Credit Reporting adds your on-time rent payments to your credit report for a small monthly fee, turning an expense you already have into something that builds your credit history.

Homebody also offers a Deposit Alternative, letting you replace a traditional security deposit with a low monthly premium, and Renters Insurance you can set up in a few minutes. Together, they're built to support your credit and your overall financial picture, not just one or the other.

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