Average FICO Score Steady, but Don’t Be Fooled: Americans Are Pinched

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the FICO score increase. Consistent student loan payers have seen their average FICO Score increase by 6 points.

Americans have generally managed to keep their credit scores intact despite grappling with high prices and economic worries, but that stability does not mean consumers are financially comfortable.

Despite the average credit score remaining unchanged at 714 from October, affordability pressures are building beneath the surface, according to FICO, which tallies the scores lenders use to measure consumer credit risk. Lower-scoring borrowers and those with thin credit files are absorbing the sharpest cost increases, FICO’s latest credit report found.

“That stability (in the average FICO score) does not mean consumers are free from financial pressure,” the report said. “Housing and vehicle payments have risen faster than inflation, while bankcard and personal loan balances continue to grow.”

FICO scores range from 300 to 850. A higher score indicates lower risk to lenders, while a lower score suggests higher risk. Lenders use scores to decide whether to approve loans and credit cards, as well as to set interest rates and credit limits.

Housing and Auto Costs Are Rising

Americans continue to struggle with housing costs. The average monthly payment for a first-time homebuyer rose to $2,563 from $1,635 in April 2019 — a 57% increase that has outpaced inflation every year since rates began climbing in 2022, FICO said.

The cost of financing a car also has climbed faster than prices generally. After a steep rise in vehicle prices from 2021 to 2022, the amount consumers financed with auto loans grew faster than inflation, FICO said.

How Credit Scores Are Changing by Age

Gen Z (ages 18 to 29) and millennials (ages 30 to 44) have seen the biggest gains in average FICO scores since before the pandemic. Gen Z added 17 points, while millennials gained 10 points, FICO said.

Compared with seven years ago, younger consumers are more likely to build stronger credit profiles by paying bills on time, keeping debt low and monitoring their credit, said Tommy Lee, senior director at FICO. In April 2019, 20% of people ages 18 to 29 had a score of 750 or higher. By April 2026, that share had grown to 27%.

But stronger scores do not mean younger consumers are feeling less financial pressure. Nearly 7 in 10 Gen Z consumers and more than half of millennials said high housing costs made it harder to keep up with other expenses. About three-quarters of Gen Z consumers and half of millennials also said they received and relied on ongoing financial support, FICO said.

Gen X and Older Borrowers

Gen X (ages 45 to 59) saw a 6-point jump in its average FICO score since April 2019, but it also posted the largest decline of any generation since the national average peaked in April 2023. Gen X has seen the steepest credit card balance growth of any age group since 2019.

That is consistent with a generation carrying significant cost pressure, Lee said. Supporting both children and aging parents may be a factor, along with persistent inflation, higher interest rates and affordability challenges for a generation carrying peak household costs.

The 60-and-older group remained stable, with an average credit score near 752 for seven years.

Which Bills Are Paid First?

Auto loan payments remain at the top of the bill-payment priority list, even above mortgages, which ranked second, FICO said. The auto 90-day-plus delinquency rate from 2024 to 2026 was 3.0%, compared with 3.6% for mortgages.

After cars and homes, people paid personal loans, credit cards and, last, student loans. FICO noted that many Americans had not prioritized student loans over the last two years. COVID-related forbearance and on-ramp periods meant that many borrowers had not made payments since 2020 — or ever, if they opened their student loan after 2020.

FICO said it will monitor whether student loans remain at the bottom of the payment hierarchy after new payment plan options began July 1.

Student Loan Payments Affect Credit

Student loan borrowers who have difficulty making payments are among those who struggle most financially.

Among adults with student loans to repay, 56% said repayment caused them to rely more heavily on credit cards or other loans to stay on top of bills over the last year, the report said. That includes 71% of Gen Z borrowers, 62% of millennials, 48% of Gen X and 29% of baby boomers.

Those with a recent student loan delinquency also experienced an average FICO Score drop of 38 points compared with April 2025.

In contrast, borrowers who were previously delinquent but resolved the issue or moved into a payment plan saw their average FICO Score increase by 16 points year over year. Consistent payers saw their average score increase by 6 points.

Credit Card Balances Rise as Utilization Falls

The average credit card balance climbed 3.8% in the past year to $7,793, yet credit utilization eased from 35.5% to 35.2%, FICO data show.

Balances are rising while the share of available credit being used is falling because credit limits are climbing faster than balances, mostly for higher-scoring consumers, FICO said. That divergence means consumers with room on their cards are being given still more room, while financial strain shows up as rising balances rather than missed payments.

The youngest and midcareer consumers — the so-called sandwich generation, simultaneously caring for children and aging parents — are carrying much of the extra credit card debt. Average card balances are up about 18% since April 2019, but balances for people ages 18 to 29 are up 26% and those for people ages 45 to 59 are up 25%.

This story was updated to correct an error. It originally appeared on USA TODAY. Reporting by Medora Lee, USA TODAY / USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.