Is your credit score in the average range? Are you in the top 2%? Are you considered “sub-prime”? Let’s look at some facts and statistics.
First, just for fun, guess which state in the U.S. has the highest average credit score. And the lowest.
Got your guess? (Tell me in the comments if you guessed right.)
Congratulations goes to Minnesota, the state with the highest average credit score at 742.
The state with the lowest average credit score is Mississippi at 680.
Only 1.3% of Americans have a perfect credit score of 850.
If you have subprime credit, lenders, credit card companies, and insurance companies are charging you higher interest rates and fees. And how does that help you pull out of subprime status?! Clearly, they’re not about helping you but about raking in more money if they perceive you as being a higher risk.
The subprime classification is somewhat fluid, but we can say a score of less than 580 is in that category. Having seven accounts with late payments will put you in the subprime category. Some stricter lenders classify any score below 620 as subprime.
Nearly 1 in 3 people have subprime credit. That’s a lot of folks who are paying too much in interest, late fees, and other penalties. If that’s you, take heart, because you can turn that around. You can pull yourself up from subprime to average and then onto excellence.
So many people had stellar credit until a disaster struck — something beyond their control that was not their fault. A subprime score can happen to anyone, including the responsible people, the hardworking people, and the wealthy. If your credit is subprime right now, you’re not alone! Your credit score is your PAST, not your future. You can change your future credit status.
SHAME ON THE CREDIT BUREAUS
34% of credit reports contain errors. That is unacceptable!
The most common error is with personal identifiers: names misspelled, a wrong name on the report, a wrong address on the report. If you are working on improving your credit status, start with fixing your personal identifiers. That is what the top pros do. Repair Your Credit Like the Pros, because it is the best way.
Anything on your credit report that is erroneous, out-of-date, incomplete, or unverifiable is unacceptable, and you are allowed to challenge it. You have the right to a credit report that is 100% true and correct.
If you have a question about how the credit scoring system works, please post in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer. (Don’t post your personal information on this public blog, for obvious reasons.)
