What Is a Good Credit Score? The Ranges That Actually Matter in 2026

Bottom line: FICO considers 670 the floor of "good," but most lenders reserve their best rates for borrowers at 740 or above. The gap between a 620 and a 740 score costs the average borrower more than $100,000 over a lifetime of borrowing.

Quick answer

A good credit score is 670 or higher on the FICO 300 to 850 scale. But the number that actually changes your borrowing costs is 740: that is where most lenders start quoting their best advertised rates on mortgages, auto loans, and cards. Between 670 and 739 you will be approved for most products, just at slightly higher pricing. The stakes are concrete: with the average 30-year mortgage near 6.72%, a 620-score borrower pays about 1.5 percentage points more than a 740-score borrower for the identical loan. If you are between tiers, the fastest moves are cutting reported card utilization and protecting a perfect payment record.

"Good" is relative, but not in a vague way. There are five defined ranges, and the distance between them translates directly into dollars.

The FICO Score Ranges

FICO scores run from 300 to 850. Here is how lenders read them:

The label "good" starts at 670. In practice, the rate difference between a 670 and a 740 is meaningful, often 0.5 to 1.0 percentage points on a mortgage or auto loan. For a deeper tier-by-tier breakdown, see credit score ranges explained.

Where Most Americans Land

According to FICO's most recent data, about 57% of Americans have a score of 700 or higher. The average FICO score was approximately 717 as of the most recent reporting, technically in the "good" range, but well below the 740 threshold where lenders offer their best pricing.

About 16% of Americans are in the "poor" range (below 580), and another 17% are in the "fair" range (580–669). Together, that's roughly one in three Americans paying materially higher rates on every borrowing product they use.

What "Good" Unlocks in Practice

On a $400,000 30-year mortgage, the rate difference between a 620 and a 740 score is currently about 1.5 percentage points. That compounds to roughly $138,000 in additional interest over the loan's life, for the same house, the same lender, the same loan amount. Run your own numbers with the credit score vs. APR cost calculator.

Car loans tell a similar story. The spread between rates offered to borrowers with "fair" vs. "very good" credit is typically 4–6 percentage points. On a $35,000 auto loan over 60 months, that difference is about $3,600 to $5,400 in extra interest.

The Score Lenders Actually Pull

Most major lenders, including mortgage companies, auto lenders, and credit card issuers, use FICO scores, not VantageScore. But FICO has dozens of versions. Mortgage lenders typically use FICO 2, 4, and 5 (one from each bureau). Auto lenders often use FICO Auto Score 8. Credit card issuers usually use FICO Score 8 or 9.

The free scores available through your bank or a service like Credit Karma use VantageScore, which usually differs by 20–40 points from your FICO score. This is why your score can look different depending on where you check it. Our FICO vs. VantageScore guide explains which model matters when.

The Fastest Ways to Move from "Fair" to "Good"

If you are in the 580–669 range, two factors move the needle fastest:

Utilization (30% of your FICO score). Pay your credit card balances down before the statement closing date, not just before the due date. What matters to FICO is the balance reported on your statement, not what you eventually pay. Getting utilization below 10% across all cards can add 40 to 60 points in two billing cycles. The credit utilization calculator shows exactly where your ratio sits.

Payment history (35% of your score). A single missed payment stays on your report for seven years and can drop a good score by 80–100 points. If you have a missed payment, the damage diminishes over time but does not disappear until the seven-year mark.

Age of accounts and credit mix matter too, but they move slowly and are harder to optimize directly.

What "Exceptional" Buys You

The practical difference between a 740 and an 800+ score is smaller than most people expect. At 740, you already qualify for most lenders' best advertised rates. The improvements above 800 tend to show up in credit limit increases, easier approvals for premium products, and occasionally a slightly lower rate on jumbo mortgages, not in dramatic savings.

The most valuable jump is from below 670 into the 700–740 range. That is where borrowing costs drop the most.

What to Do at Each Score Level

If a big score jump is not realistic before you need to borrow, Money Map can show whether a better savings rate or debt paydown delivers more dollars in the meantime.

Quick answers

Is a 700 credit score good? Yes, 700 falls in FICO's Good range (670 to 739), but it is below the 740 threshold where lenders quote their best advertised rates.

Is a 650 credit score good? No, 650 is in the Fair range (580 to 669). Most mainstream products are available but at noticeably higher rates than the Good tier.

What credit score do I need to buy a house? 620 is the standard conventional minimum; FHA loans go down to 580 with 3.5% down. The best mortgage pricing starts around 740.

How rare is an 800 credit score? Not very. Roughly one in five American adults scores 800 or above, and lenders treat 800 and 850 essentially the same.

Sources

• CFPB: Credit reports and scores for how scores are calculated and used by lenders.
• CFPB: What is a FICO score? for the score ranges and model background.
• FICO score distribution data (Experian, 2025); average mortgage rate spreads by credit tier (Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 2026); auto loan rate data by credit band (Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market, 2025).

Rates referenced on this page were verified on July 9, 2026. Score distributions and rate spreads shift over time; confirm current pricing with lenders before applying. This article is educational information, not individualized financial advice.