A good credit score falls in the 670 to 739 range on the FICO scale, which is the model used by about 90% of lenders. On the VantageScore scale, “good” spans 661 to 780. Both scales top out at 850, and both start at 300. Where you land within these ranges directly affects the interest rates you’re offered, the credit cards you qualify for, and how easily you can rent an apartment or get approved for a loan.
FICO and VantageScore Ranges
The two major scoring models slice their 300-to-850 range into tiers with slightly different labels and cutoffs.
FICO breaks it down like this:
- Exceptional: 800 to 850
- Very Good: 740 to 799
- Good: 670 to 739
- Fair: 580 to 669
- Poor: 300 to 579
VantageScore uses a similar but not identical scale:
- Excellent: 781 to 850
- Good: 661 to 780
- Fair: 601 to 660
- Poor: 500 to 600
- Very Poor: 300 to 499
Most lenders rely on FICO scores, so those are the tiers worth focusing on. A score of 670 puts you at the bottom of the “good” bucket, while 740 crosses into “very good” territory and unlocks noticeably better loan terms.
What a Good Score Actually Gets You
The practical difference between credit tiers shows up most clearly in interest rates. On a $350,000 30-year fixed mortgage, someone with a 660 FICO score would see an average rate around 6.88%, while someone at 740 would get roughly 6.44%. That gap of less than half a percentage point translates to tens of thousands of dollars in extra interest over the life of the loan. Push the score up to 780 or above and the rate drops to about 6.25%, where it essentially plateaus. Going from 780 to 840 doesn’t save you any additional money.
Beyond mortgages, a good score opens the door to most mainstream rewards credit cards and auto loans at competitive rates. You won’t necessarily qualify for the most exclusive premium cards (those typically want scores in the 740-plus range), but you’ll have solid options. Landlords and insurance companies also pull credit, so a good score can mean lower security deposits and better premiums.
Fair scores (580 to 669) still qualify for many loans, but at higher rates and with stricter terms. Below 580, options narrow significantly, and you’ll likely need secured credit cards or FHA loans with larger down payments to get started.
Where Most People Stand
If your score is in the “good” range, you’re right around the national norm. As of late 2025, the average FICO score by generation breaks down this way:
- Gen Z (18 to 28): 678
- Millennials (29 to 44): 689
- Gen X (45 to 60): 709
- Baby Boomers (61 to 79): 747
Scores tend to rise with age because older consumers have longer credit histories and, on average, more experience managing debt. A 25-year-old with a 680 is doing well relative to peers, while a 55-year-old at the same score is below the generational average.
How Your Score Is Calculated
FICO scores are built from five categories, each carrying a specific weight:
- Payment history (35%): Whether you’ve paid bills on time. A single 30-day late payment can drop your score by 50 points or more, and the effect lingers for years.
- Amounts owed (30%): This is largely about your credit utilization ratio, meaning how much of your available credit you’re currently using. Carrying a $3,000 balance on a card with a $10,000 limit puts you at 30% utilization. Lenders generally like to see this below 30%, and below 10% is ideal for the highest scores.
- Length of credit history (15%): The average age of all your accounts, plus the age of your oldest account. This is why closing an old credit card can actually hurt your score, even if you never use it.
- New credit (10%): How many accounts you’ve opened recently and how many hard inquiries appear on your report. Each hard inquiry (triggered when you apply for credit) typically shaves off a few points and stays on your report for two years.
- Credit mix (10%): Having a variety of account types, like a credit card, an auto loan, and a mortgage, shows lenders you can handle different kinds of debt. This is the least important factor, so don’t take out a loan just to diversify your mix.
VantageScore uses similar inputs but weights them differently, placing more emphasis on total balances and credit utilization. For most consumers, though, the actions that improve one score improve the other.
Moving From Good to Very Good
If you’re sitting in the 670 to 739 range and want to push higher, the math points to two levers that control 65% of your score. First, make every payment on time, every month. Set up autopay for at least the minimum if you’re worried about forgetting. Second, bring your credit utilization down. If you’re using 40% of your available credit, paying down balances or requesting a credit limit increase (without spending more) can move your score meaningfully within a billing cycle or two.
The remaining factors take longer to influence. You can’t speed up the aging of your accounts, but you can avoid closing your oldest card. You can limit hard inquiries by only applying for credit you actually need. And if you only have credit cards, adding an installment loan like a small personal loan can round out your credit mix over time.
One thing worth knowing: checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry and has zero impact on your number. You can monitor it as often as you like through your bank, credit card issuer, or the free reports available at AnnualCreditReport.com. Catching errors on your report, like a payment incorrectly marked late, and disputing them can sometimes produce a quick score boost with no other changes needed.