There’s no single “good” credit score that applies to every age, but younger adults consistently score lower than older ones, and that’s completely normal. The national average FICO score for people ages 18 to 29 is 676, while adults 60 and older average 752. Understanding where you fall relative to your age group helps you gauge whether you’re on track or have room to improve.
Average Credit Scores by Age
Credit scores tend to climb as people get older, mostly because older adults have had more time to build long payment histories and accumulate older accounts. Here’s how average FICO 8 scores break down as of early 2026:
- Ages 18 to 29: 676
- Ages 30 to 39: 686
- Ages 40 to 49: 702
- Ages 50 to 59: 718
- Ages 60 and older: 752
VantageScore, another widely used scoring model, shows a similar pattern. Gen Z averages 668, Millennials 679, Gen X 702, and Baby Boomers 743. The gap between the youngest and oldest groups is roughly 75 to 80 points regardless of which model you look at.
If your score is at or above the average for your age range, you’re doing well relative to your peers. But “average for your age” and “good enough to get the best loan terms” aren’t always the same thing.
What Lenders Consider “Good”
FICO scores range from 300 to 850, and lenders generally group them into tiers:
- Good: 670 to 739
- Very good: 740 to 799
- Excellent: 800 and higher
A score of 670 or above puts you into the “good” range no matter your age. That’s significant because it’s the threshold where you start qualifying for mainstream credit cards, personal loans, and auto loans at competitive rates. Below 670, you’ll still find lenders willing to work with you, but you’ll pay noticeably higher interest.
For mortgages specifically, you generally need at least 580 to qualify at all, and a score of 760 or higher to lock in the best available interest rate. The difference matters: on a 30-year mortgage, even a quarter-point rate improvement can save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Some lenders set their best-rate cutoff at 740, others at 780, so the higher you can push your score, the more leverage you have.
Why Older People Score Higher
Age itself isn’t a factor in your credit score. FICO doesn’t know how old you are, and using age as a scoring factor would violate federal law. But the length of your credit history accounts for about 15% of your FICO score, and that’s where older adults have a built-in advantage.
The scoring model looks at the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account, and the average age of all your accounts. Someone who opened their first credit card at 22 and is now 55 has over three decades of history. A 25-year-old who opened their first card two years ago simply can’t compete on that dimension yet. This is the single biggest reason younger adults score lower, and it’s not something you can shortcut. Time is the only fix.
Older adults also benefit from decades of on-time payments stacking up. Payment history is the largest factor in your score at 35%, and a long track record of never missing a due date builds a score that’s hard to knock down.
What to Aim for at Each Stage
Rather than comparing yourself only to your age group’s average, it helps to set a target based on what you’ll actually need your credit for in the coming years.
If you’re in your late teens or twenties, a score in the mid-to-high 600s is solid. You’re building a foundation. Your immediate goal should be crossing 670, which opens the door to most standard credit products. If you’re already above 700 at this age, you’re ahead of the curve.
In your thirties and forties, many people are applying for mortgages, refinancing student loans, or financing a car. Aim for 740 or higher if a major purchase is on the horizon. That’s the threshold where mortgage lenders start offering their most competitive rates, and it puts you firmly in the “very good” tier for all other lending.
By your fifties and beyond, the combination of long credit history and (ideally) years of responsible use should push you well above 700. If you’re in this age range and your score is significantly below 718, it’s worth checking your credit reports for errors or addressing any lingering negative marks.
Building Credit When You’re Starting Out
Young adults often have “thin” credit files, meaning they have few or no accounts reporting to the credit bureaus. The challenge isn’t bad credit so much as invisible credit. Here are the most effective tools for establishing a history.
A secured credit card is the most common starting point. You deposit cash (often $200 to $500) as collateral, and that deposit becomes your credit limit. You use it like a regular credit card and make monthly payments, which get reported to the three major credit bureaus. After several months of on-time payments, many issuers will upgrade you to an unsecured card and refund your deposit.
Credit builder loans work differently. A bank or credit union sets aside a small amount, typically a few hundred to a thousand dollars, in a locked savings account. You make monthly payments on the “loan” over six to 24 months, and once you’ve paid it off, you receive the money. The purpose isn’t really the loan itself. It’s the monthly payment activity being reported to the bureaus.
Store and retail credit cards are another option. They tend to have lower credit limits and are easier to qualify for, which makes them a reasonable first card. Just be cautious with the interest rates, which are often higher than general-purpose cards.
What Doesn’t Help Build Credit
Some financial products feel like they should build credit but don’t. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and cash transactions aren’t reported to credit bureaus because you’re spending your own money, not borrowing. Payday loans also don’t help because most payday lenders don’t report payments to the bureaus. Similarly, “buy here, pay here” auto loans at used car dealerships often report only late payments, not your on-time ones, so they can hurt your score without helping it.
How to Move Your Score Up Faster
Regardless of your age, the same levers move your score. Paying every bill on time is the single most powerful thing you can do, since payment history carries the most weight. Even one payment that’s 30 or more days late can drop your score significantly and stay on your report for seven years.
Keeping your credit utilization low is the second biggest factor. Utilization is the percentage of your available credit you’re actually using. If you have a $5,000 credit limit and carry a $2,500 balance, that’s 50% utilization, which drags your score down. Keeping utilization below 30% helps, and below 10% is even better. Paying down balances or requesting a credit limit increase (without spending more) are both ways to improve this ratio quickly.
Avoid opening several new accounts in a short period. Each application triggers a hard inquiry on your report, and a cluster of new accounts lowers your average account age. Space out applications when you can.
Finally, check your credit reports at least once a year through AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the federally authorized source for free reports from all three bureaus. Errors happen more often than you’d expect, from accounts that aren’t yours to late payments that were actually on time. Disputing and correcting these mistakes can give your score an immediate lift.