FICO (2024)

FAQs

Does anyone have a 900 FICO score? ›

Highlights: While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.

The percent of the population with the highest credit score of 850 is relatively small but has been increasing. As of April 2023, about 1.7% of the U.S. scorable population had a perfect 850 FICO® Score.

Your score falls in the range of scores, from 800 to 850, that is considered Exceptional. Your FICO^® Score and is well above the average credit score. Consumers with scores in this range may expect easy approvals when applying for new credit. 21% of all consumers have FICO^® Scores in the Exceptional range.

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 2023, the average FICO^® Score^☉ in the U.S. reached 715.

Membership in the 800+ credit score club is quite exclusive, with fewer than 1 in 6 people boasting a score that high, according to WalletHub data.

According to a report by FICO, only 23% of the scorable population has a credit score of 800 or above.

Some types of mortgages have specific minimum credit score requirements. A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.

Your score falls within the range of scores, from 580 to 669, considered Fair. A 600 FICO^® Score is below the average credit score. Some lenders see consumers with scores in the Fair range as having unfavorable credit, and may decline their credit applications.

It can take a long time to build a credit score in the 800 range. To boost your chances, make sure you pay your bills on time, avoid carrying debt from month-to-month, and aim to have more than one type of credit in your arsenal.

A credit score of 830 will generally qualify you for a lender's best interest rates. As a real-world example, the average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate was just over 7% as of late October 2022. However, the average rate paid by a homebuyer whose FICO credit score was 760 or higher was 6.583%.

Can I buy a house with an 800 credit score? ›

Conventional loans: A credit score of 800 is well above the minimum needed to qualify for a conforming conventional loan, which is typically 620. In fact, with an 800, you ought to qualify for some of the best interest rates and terms available.

An 830 credit score is often considered very good — or even excellent. With excellent credit, your credit scores become more of a bridge and less of a roadblock — a high score can help you qualify for premium rewards credit cards, auto loans and mortgages with the best terms.

Many conventional loans allow you to borrow with a ”fair” credit score of 620 or higher, though your interest rate may be higher than it would be with a higher credit score. FHA loans can allow scores as low as 500, but will require a higher down payment.

However, with a 716 credit score, you should qualify for rates on-par with national averages. Also, even though your score qualifies you for a mortgage, it's important to know that the lower your score is, the stronger the rest of your qualifications are generally expected to be.

Lenders typically seek a FICO score of 700–720, though some may consider scores as low as 680. These loans often necessitate a 10–20% down payment, incorporating home equity as a key part of the borrowing strategy.

It's exceedingly rare for anyone to have a credit score over 900, as most credit scoring models have a maximum limit of 850, and even achieving that score is uncommon.

If you've ever wondered what the highest credit score you can have is, it's 850. That's at the top end of the most common FICO® and VantageScore® credit scores. And these two companies provide some of the most popular credit-scoring models in America. But do you need a perfect credit 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.

For both the VantageScore and base FICO® score models, the lowest score is 300 and the highest credit score is 850. But even if you have pretty good credit habits, don't be surprised if you check your scores and find that you're below 850.