Average Credit Score by Age: Where Do You Stand in 2026?

The average credit score rises steadily with age: 678 for Gen Z (ages 18 to 28), 689 for Millennials, 709 for Gen X, 747 for Baby Boomers and 760 for people 80 and older, according to Experian's September 2025 data. The national average FICO Score is 714 as of April 2026.

Most pages ranking for this question still show numbers from 2019 or 2023. Everything below is dated, sourced, and explained, including why younger Americans' scores slipped last year and what it takes to beat the average for your age.

What is the average credit score by age?

Credit bureaus report averages by generation rather than by single year of age. Experian publishes the most complete current breakdown, using the FICO Score 8 model that most lenders rely on:

What is the average American credit score right now?

FICO reports that the national average was flat at 714 from October 2025 to April 2026 and down one point from a year earlier (FICO, August 2026). Experian's 713 was the first annual decline in its data since 2013. The two figures differ only because they come from different datasets on different dates.

What is the average credit score at 25, 35, 45 and beyond?

No bureau publishes current averages for single ages, so the honest answer uses the generation your age falls into. In 2025 terms:

• At 25: you are in Gen Z, where the average is 678. Experian's last single-age data, from 2019, put 25-year-olds at 659, which shows how much young adults' scores have risen since.
• In your 30s and early 40s: Millennials average 689.
• From 45 to 60: Gen X averages 709, just under the national 714.
• From 61 to 79: Baby Boomers average 747, in the Very Good tier.
• At 80 and older: the Silent Generation averages 760, the highest of any group.

Which generation has the highest and lowest credit score?

The Silent Generation (80+) has the highest average at 760, and Gen Z has the lowest at 678. The 82-point gap is mostly about time, not responsibility: older consumers have decades of on-time payments, older accounts and, often, little remaining debt.

Why do credit scores go up with age?

Three of the five FICO factors naturally improve over time:

• Length of credit history (15% of a FICO Score). Older accounts mean a longer, more predictable record.
• Payment history (35%). Every year of on-time payments adds evidence; old late payments fade and drop off after seven years.
• Amounts owed (30%). Incomes and credit limits tend to rise while card balances shrink, lowering credit utilization.

Why did younger Americans' scores slip in 2025?

Student loans are the biggest reason. Missed federal student-loan payments started appearing on credit reports again in 2025 after years of pandemic relief. FICO found that about 3.2 million people with a recent student-loan delinquency saw their scores fall by an average of 38 points over the year. Younger borrowers carry more of that debt, which is why Gen Z fell 3 points and Millennials 2.

The longer view is more encouraging. FICO's same report says Gen Z scores are still 17 points higher and Millennials 10 points higher than before the pandemic, and consumers who kept paying on time gained points.

What is a good credit score for your age?

Lenders do not grade on age. A 700 gets the same offer at 25 as at 65. That makes the FICO tiers the right yardstick:

By that measure, a score above your generation's average is a good score for your age, and anything above 740 is strong at any age. For what each tier means for a mortgage, car loan or credit card, see our guide on what counts as a good credit score.

How does your state compare?

FICO vs VantageScore: why do the averages differ?

They are different scoring models built by different companies. Both use the same 300 to 850 scale and your same credit reports, but they weigh things differently, so the same person can get two different numbers. VantageScore 4.0's national average of about 701 runs lower than FICO's 714. Free apps often show a VantageScore, while most lenders still use FICO, which is why your app score and a lender's score rarely match.

How can you beat the average for your age group?

1. Never miss a payment. Set every account to autopay at least the minimum. Our guide to raising your credit score fast sorts every tactic by how quickly it works. Payment history is 35% of your score.
2. Keep card balances low. Aim to use under 30% of your limits, and under 10% for the best scores. Paying the balance before the statement date helps.
3. Keep old cards open if they have no annual fee, to protect the length of your history.
4. Starting out? A secured card or becoming an authorized user on a parent's well-managed card can build a file quickly. See how to build credit for a month-by-month plan.
5. Behind on student loans? Contact your servicer about income-driven repayment or rehabilitation before the account defaults.
6. Apply sparingly. Each hard inquiry can cost a few points for a year.

A higher score also makes big goals cheaper, from a mortgage to the interest you pay while saving for retirement. Our average 401(k) balance by age guide covers the savings side of the same question.