Credit Score Ranges: What Counts as Poor, Fair, Good and Excellent?
If your credit score uses the common 300–850 scale, here’s the bottom line: 300–579 is considered poor credit, 580–669 is fair credit, 670–739 is good credit, 740–799 is very good credit, and 800–850 is excellent (often called exceptional). These credit score ranges come from the FICO Score and are also used by major bureaus like Experian and Equifax, and they’re the ranges lenders usually have in mind when they talk about poor, fair, good or excellent credit. Knowing exactly where your score falls tells you how most lenders see you today and what you may need to do to move into the next range.
What a credit score actually is (and why ranges matter)
A credit score is a three‑digit number, typically between 300 and 850, that sums up how likely you are to pay your bills on time based on your past borrowing behavior. Most lenders in the U.S. use FICO Scores for decisions like credit cards, auto loans, personal loans and mortgages. They may also look at VantageScore, but the ranges are similar and the meaning is the same: higher scores signal lower risk to lenders. There is no single “magic number” that guarantees approval, but falling into a higher credit range usually means better approval odds, larger limits, and lower interest rates.
The standard FICO credit score ranges
On the 300–850 FICO scale, the widely used ranges are:
• Poor credit: 300–579
• Fair credit: 580–669
• Good credit: 670–739
• Very good credit: 740–799
• Exceptional/excellent credit: 800–850
These same breakpoints appear across major sources, including Experian, Equifax, Discover and FICO’s own education site. When you see a lender advertising that they want “good to excellent credit,” they are often targeting scores roughly 670 and above, with the best pricing typically reserved for the very good and excellent ranges.
How many people are in each credit score range?
Experian’s data for FICO Score 8 as of mid‑2026 shows how U.S. consumers are actually distributed across these credit score ranges:
• Poor (300–579): 14.9% of consumers
• Fair (580–669): 15.1%
• Good (670–739): 19.8%
• Very good (740–799): 27.4%
• Exceptional (800–850): 22.9%
In other words, about 30% of people have poor or fair credit (below 670), and about 70% are in the good, very good, or excellent ranges (670+). The average FICO Score in the U.S. is 713, which sits right in the middle of the good credit score range. Almost one in four people have an 800+ score, and about 1.7% even have a perfect 850.
What counts as a poor credit score (300–579)?
A poor credit score is any FICO Score from 300 to 579. This range is well below the U.S. average and signals to lenders that you may be a relatively high‑risk borrower. People in this range often have serious negative marks such as charge‑offs, collections, defaults, or very frequent late payments.
With poor credit, you may:
• Be denied many mainstream credit cards and loans, or be approved only for “subprime” options
• Be offered very high interest rates and fees if you are approved
• Need security deposits for things like utilities or rental housing
• Have lower credit limits, making it harder to keep utilization down
Practically, a move from poor credit into the fair range (crossing 580) can be a meaningful step, because many more lenders are willing to work with fair‑credit borrowers, even if the terms are still expensive.
What counts as a fair credit score (580–669)?
A fair credit score is any FICO Score from 580 to 669. This is still below average, but very different from the poorest tier. Many lenders will approve borrowers in this range, but with more restrictions and higher costs than those offered to people with good or very good credit.
With a fair score, you may:
• Qualify for some mainstream credit cards and auto loans, but not “top tier” cards or best advertised rates
• See higher APRs on credit cards and loans compared with someone at 700+
• Qualify for some mortgages, but with pricing add‑ons or stricter underwriting
Lenders view fair‑credit borrowers as having some risk factors: maybe late payments in the past, a high debt load, or a thin/short credit history. The good news is that getting from fair credit to a good credit score (crossing 670) can significantly improve your options.
What counts as a good credit score (670–739)?
A good credit score is any FICO Score from 670 to 739. This is the range where you are generally considered a dependable borrower. FICO itself and major bureaus agree that 670–739 is the “good” credit score range, and 713 — the national average — sits right inside it.
With a good credit score, you can usually:
• Qualify for most mainstream credit cards, including many rewards cards
• Be approved for auto loans, personal loans and mortgages from a wide range of lenders
• Get interest rates noticeably better than someone in the fair range, though not always the absolute best on the market
Lenders know that people in the good credit score range might have a small blemish (like an isolated late payment) or a relatively short history, but nothing that suggests chronic risk. Moving from good to very good (740+) can still save real money, especially on large loans like mortgages, but you are already in a solid position.
What counts as a very good credit score (740–799)?
A very good credit score is any FICO Score from 740 to 799. Different sources use slightly different labels (some say “very good,” some say “very good/prime”), but the 740 cutoff is consistent for this stronger tier. People in this range are generally seen as highly dependable and lower‑risk.
With a very good score, you typically:
• Qualify for most credit cards, including many premium rewards and travel cards, when you meet income and other requirements
• Are offered better‑than‑average interest rates on auto loans, mortgages, and personal loans
• Often receive higher credit limits, which can help keep utilization lower and support your score
Many lenders group very good and excellent credit together when pricing loans, so the rate offered to someone with a 760 score may be similar to one offered at 810 for some products. For others, lenders may still reserve the very best terms for borrowers at 760–780 and above.
What counts as an excellent credit score (800–850)?
An excellent (or “exceptional”) credit score is any FICO Score from 800–850. In this range, lenders see you as a very low‑risk borrower. Experian data shows about 23% of U.S. consumers are here, and that share has grown over time as average scores have risen.
With an excellent credit score, you generally:
• Qualify for almost all credit card offers, subject to income and other underwriting
• Receive lenders’ best or near‑best advertised interest rates on many loans
• Have strong negotiating power on loan terms and credit limits because you are a desirable customer
Importantly, there is virtually no practical difference between an 820 and an 850 for most lending decisions. Once you are in the excellent credit score range, your focus can shift from chasing points to maintaining healthy habits and using credit strategically.
How do FICO and VantageScore ranges compare?
The numbers above are for FICO Scores, which 90% of top lenders use in some form. VantageScore, another widely used model, also uses a 300–850 scale, but its internal “labels” sometimes differ. One Experian breakdown for VantageScore 3.0 uses terms like “subprime,” “near prime,” “prime,” and “super prime” and shows that 64% of Americans have a prime VantageScore or better.
The key point is that both systems:
• Put most consumers in the middle bands
• Treat higher scores as lower risk
• Punish the same behaviors (late payments, high utilization, recent delinquencies)
So while your FICO and VantageScore numbers might not match exactly, if you are in the good credit score range on one model, you will usually be somewhere around good on the other.
What factors actually move you between credit score ranges?
Regardless of the label on your range, your FICO Score is calculated using five main components:
• Payment history – 35% of your score. Late payments, especially 30+ days late, can pull you down into fair or poor. A spotless history over time is a big reason people reach very good and excellent.
• Amounts owed (credit utilization and debt levels) – 30%. High balances relative to your limits can trap you in the fair or good credit score range even if you never pay late.
• Length of credit history – 15%. Longer‑standing accounts and an older average age of credit help you move into very good or excellent over time.
• New credit (recent inquiries and new accounts) – 10%. Many recent applications or new accounts can temporarily hold your score back or nudge you down a range.
• Credit mix – 10%. Having a mix of installment loans (like auto loans, mortgages) and revolving accounts (credit cards) can help modestly, especially at the higher end of the scale.
Because payment history and utilization make up 65% of your FICO Score, consistently paying on time and keeping your revolving balances relatively low are the core habits that move you from poor to fair, fair to good, and so on.
How much does moving up a range actually matter in dollars?
The exact rate you’re offered depends on the lender, product, and market conditions, and the research here does not give specific APR examples. But the general pattern is consistent across lenders:
• Moving from poor to fair can change a denial into an approval, even if the rate is high.
• Moving from fair to good can reduce your borrowing costs enough to matter month‑to‑month on auto loans and personal loans.
• Moving from good to very good or excellent often produces the largest savings on big‑ticket items like mortgages, where even a fraction of a percentage point can mean thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
Because there is no single “magic” score, many lenders define internal cutoffs (for example, offering their best mortgage rates to borrowers above a particular FICO threshold in the very good or excellent credit score range). That’s why your goal should usually be to get into and stay in the upper ranges, rather than chasing an exact number.
How to think about your score range if you’re building or repairing credit
If you are in the poor or fair ranges, the ranges are not a judgment about you as a person; they simply describe how your past credit behavior looks statistically to lenders. The ranges are also not permanent. As negative items age and you build positive history, your score can move up into better bands.
In practical terms:
• Focus on crossing key thresholds: moving from the 570s to the 580s, the 660s to the 670s, and the 730s to the 740s can each unlock noticeably better treatment.
• Don’t obsess over small moves within a band: going from 682 to 688 is less meaningful than crossing from 669 to 670, where “fair” turns into “good credit score” in many lenders’ systems.
• Use the ranges to set realistic timelines: it often takes sustained positive behavior over many months to move up a full tier, especially at the higher end.
FAQ
Is a 650 credit score good or bad?
A 650 credit score falls in the 580–669 band, which is considered fair credit, not good. With a 650, many lenders will still approve you, but you are unlikely to get their best rates or most premium products. Improving your payment history and lowering your credit card balances to push your score above 670 can move you into the good credit score range and broaden your options.
Is a 700 credit score considered good?
Yes. A 700 credit score sits squarely within the 670–739 band that FICO and the major bureaus define as a good credit score. At 700, you are above the U.S. average of 713 or close to it, and you’re likely to qualify for most mainstream credit cards and loans, with better terms than someone in the fair range, though not always the very best on the market.
What credit score do I need for excellent rates?
There is no universal cutoff, but lenders often reserve their top pricing for borrowers in the very good and excellent ranges, roughly 740 and above. For many large loans, like mortgages, internal pricing tiers may start in the high 700s or around 800, but specific numbers vary by lender and product. Being in the excellent credit score range (800–850) maximizes your chances of getting the best available offers.
How rare is an 800+ credit score?
An 800+ credit score is less common than a good score, but not rare. Experian data shows that about 22.9% of U.S. consumers have a FICO Score between 800 and 850. That means nearly one in four adults is in the exceptional credit score range. The share of people with 800+ scores has grown over time as overall credit health has improved.
Can you have excellent credit with a short credit history?
It’s possible but harder. Length of credit history counts for about 15% of your FICO Score, so people with very thin files often need nearly perfect payment history and low utilization to reach the very good or excellent credit score range. Over time, as your oldest account ages and you avoid delinquencies, it becomes easier for your score to climb into the 740+ bands.
Does my score range affect my credit limits?
Yes, indirectly. Lenders look at your credit score, income, existing debts, and internal policies to set your credit limits. Borrowers in the good, very good, and excellent ranges are generally considered lower risk, so they are more likely to receive higher starting limits and more generous limit increases. Higher limits can, in turn, help your score by making it easier to keep your utilization percentage low.
Why do different apps show slightly different score ranges?
Different apps may use different scoring models (for example, FICO vs. VantageScore) or versions (FICO 8 vs. FICO 9), and they may label their bands with slightly different names like “prime” or “super prime.” However, most still use the 300–850 scale and treat scores below about 580 as poor, 580–669 as fair, 670–739 as good, 740–799 as very good, and 800+ as excellent. The exact number may differ, but the overall credit score range you’re in is usually similar.
Comments