Credit Trends
Our Credit Trends show you how you compare to other Credit Karma members. See where you stand and compare credit scores by state, age and email domain. While these comparisons are fun, they’re also an interesting way to gauge the overall credit health of Credit Karma members.
Based on our data, there is a clear relationship between age and average credit scores. Generally speaking, younger consumers have lower credit scores on average. Take a look at this interactive chart to see what our data says about age and average credit scores.
184 People Helped
I'm a big advocate for personal responsibilty -- so nothing I'm about to say is shedding any fault away from myself, but I didn't grow up in a family that was...remotely...responsible when it came to paying bills on time or spending within their means. When they were poor, only the most threatening bill was paid first. When they were making over $300k a year, they spent $.99 out of every dollar.
I'm 32 now and my credit is slowly climbing into the "good" territory, but I can definitely attribute the ease in which I made credit mistakes in the past to just not really ever having an opportunity to grasp personal finance until I fell on my face a few times.
I think I'm far from being alone in that life experience, which is why I wish there was some sort of national credit course that students (high school or college) could take to help fill in the gaps that their upbringing left. You can take a driver's ed course to lower your insurance, why can't you take a credit and finance course that has a positive impact on your credit score and interest rates?
jackcolton's comment was:
I had a Bankrupsy 5 years ago and thought I was doing the right thing so applied for every credit card that was offered to me. I now have about 18 credit cards. I'm never late with my payments but Im living pay check to pay check and my score is very poor. NOW WHAT?
cogin's reply was:
Cogin, First off, a bankruptcy stays on your Credit Report for 10 yrs. (hit 1) If you went and applied for every credit card offered (hit 2 to many). ..the Interest rates you have on those cards, I'm guessing are not below 15% (hit 3 all your payments go to interest and unless you are paying 3-4 times the minimum amt, you'll be drowning again in no time). Its never a good idea to close credit cards but I would suggest to you that you either take a finance class or find a CPA or financial counselor that would sit down with you and help figure out what your best course of action would be. Having 18 credit cards doesn't improve your credit score when you are taking them out right after filing bankruptcy, then it hurts you. Ask that Financial person, if in your case, it might not hurt so much to close some of them. I love to watch and listen to Susie Orman, there are others, just my preference. You can probably get some of her online shows on Youtube..Or just look on Youtube for financial guidance..Listen to several and see what makes the most sense to you. Hang in there, one day, with some work, your score will get back up there. Good Luck.
Simplysue2u's reply was:
Simplysue2u - FYI: Not always 10 years. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on for 10 years, but a Chapter 13 stays on for only 7 (seven), due to the fact that you partially paid off the outstanding debts.
Random789644's reply was:
Dave Ramsey. He's rabidly anti debt because of personal history, a Christian, and he sells stuff. But a lot of his resources are free and the information is there for you to use as you see fit.
His brand also has a "foundations in personal finance" class that is available to high school kids, and another scaled to be appropriate for middle school age.
Marketing starts working on kids immediately, high time we offer the knowledge to defend themselves.
gryf's reply was:
36 People Helped
This chart is surprising to me. I am 26 and I have a Transunion score of 725, an Equifax score of 738, and my FICO is 720. I only have 4 credit cards and none of them have been open accounts for more than a year. My scores went up 30 and 31 points recently which is drastic at one time, but I keep my utilization below 10% most of the time. The highest amount I have utilized was 22% when I had to fix my car. As soon as the due amounts are posted online, I pay them. Even before the billing cycle. I also don't use my credit cards for unneccessary purchases or when I don't have money in my checking account to cover it. It really is simple to establish good credit, you just have to know what you're doing and don't let the urge to splurge come over you. I will say though, I have no loans, debt, no car lease, etc so that helps a great deal. Pay attention to the factors that have the highest impact on your scores.
AliciaRoseW's comment was:
Your credit score is inflated. That usually happens to first time credit holders. While your score may be high, you don't have a long credit history, which is a big thing people look for. It's better to have had credit for 5 years with a score of 700, than to have a credit history up to a year with a score of 750.
Ray94's reply was:
If you're paying them off before they report, it is harming you more than helping. Be cautious of paying back too often or too quickly. And don't forget that your debt to income ratio is a high factor when being considered for loans, mortgages, financing, etc. If it doesn't look like you're pulling more money into an account than you're spending on your bills each month your dti ratio might keep you from utilizing that good credit score,
Natalicio23's reply was:
891 People Helped
im 19, and have a score of 750. on my 18th birthdya i went to my credit union and got a student credit card, and then proceded to pay it off in full every month. i then got a Macys credit card and paid that off in full. three months later i got a nordstrom credit card and that dropped my score by a hundred points almost. i was looking at a 680. so for six moths i balanced the three credit cards making sure my credit utilazatuion was under thirty percent and paying off almost everything. Because i am impulsive i got in way over my head with shopping and found myself spending my whole pay check to cover myt losses. i soon started a budget for my self and stop using both store cards for awhile. my Macys card raised my credit limit, which helped me lover my credit utilaztion score. My nordstrom sis the same and i paid both off and now barely use my one student credit card. i use each only once a month to buy something under thiry bucks from each store to show i have good standing. i have never missed a payment on all three cards. i now i have a score of 750 again since six mothns has passed since i open my nordstom card. all in all, i have learned my lesson, but am still frustrated by how easy it is to swipe without thinking. This has lead me to leaving my cards at home or in my car. i guess for me it was harder than some because i worked in a mall and was surronded by retail. Now im happy with my score and i got a job at a bank, and i now save money while paying off my student loans. i guess what angers me the most is seeing how much i spent with those two cards and realizing i could have paid of my student loans. i hope other people find something to learn from my story
osnat678's comment was:
A friend who worked at costco signed me up for an amex to boost her sign up participant numbers and there I was, 19, $10k limit amex. It ended HORRIBLY. I'm still making up for it five years later :-( At least you didn't dig yourself a whole as deep as I did. Had I known the things I know now back then, I'd be in a much different situation. I totally agree that working at a bank forces you to look at your own situation and better yourself. I started working in retail and my paychecks normally went back into what ever store I was working at.
yellorubberducky's reply was:
I'm seeing a lot of young people with this type of credit. A high score doesn't always equate to good credit, or even if you have a high score, lenders will not always pick up for a loan. Young people tend to have hyper inflated scores because in reality, they have no credit. 1 year of paying off your card is not good enough. Lenders don't really start taking you serious until you have had quite a few years under your belt. It took me about 3 years to get a good visa card from my credit union with a limit of $7500, and only then they did it after I had several installment loans that I paid off, and an auto loan. In the same way, not using your credit but having several open accounts is also bad. Lenders will the potential debt you could get into, and if you have 10 cards with $1000 limits each, you have the potential debt of $10,000 and they actually take that into consideration when they look at your debt to income ratio. The best way is to open maybe 2 cards (major cards not store as they have high interest rates) and use them only occassionally being sure to pay them off in 1 month.
hawkne's reply was:
I had the same problem! I saw that my credit score was high so I was thinking hmmm why not go and apply for a credit card, thought I could manage it but then temptation got out of hand. So my credit score is EXTREMELY low, very shortly after opening up the accounts. Its good to know that if I just pay off the balances and keep the balance lower than 30% my credit will shoot back up :)
cataclysmic0ne's reply was:
I have children fifty years old that have yet to learn what you did in a few short years. You are an perfect example of one who uses their head for something besides growing hair.My congratulations to you and whoever raised you.
nralife42's reply was:
I'm 20 and my score is 770+, I've got 6 credit cards and always have utilization under 20%, often under 10%. I never spend money I don't have, I always pay in full. My lowest line of credit from any issuer is $6K, which I got when I was 17, at 19 I got a no set limit Amex.
Best advice: never carry a balance to the next month.
FlyUnited23's reply was:
way to go! you tought a lot Thanks
frog1960's reply was:
Get rid of the credit cards. Get rid of the problem.
ToddCarnes's reply was:
You forgot one simple thing in your practice. each new credit account splits your credit age average. So taking on that many accounts at once is what hurts your score. But good news is more account less of a split and the faster year lenght of credit goes up. Most people don't realize there is several factors to a heathy credit report. Also having to many types of the same line of credits will hurt you in the lenders eyes. Good example 1 visa,1 master card, 2 store cards, 1 personal loan. 1 morgage. If all your credits are loans it shows you got less borrowing potential, if all is revolving credit it shows you can max every thing out to fast. just few things to consider for a healthy porfolio
ernestf01's reply was:
hawkne, you are incorrect. One of the biggest impacts on a credit score is the length of credit history, which for young people, is usually very low. In order to get the best score, you need to have at 7 years of credit history. Another factor is number of accounts, also low for young people. And credit utilization, which is directly impacted by your credit limit, which is almost always orders of magnitude lower for people with little credit history. The other factor - number of inquiries in the last two years - is also high (lower score) for people just starting to utilize credit, since they have just started opening their accounts. Basically, a person who is just starting to build his/her credit history has a terrible score. I can tell you this from personal experience, as a person who has a relatively new credit history, with no late payments, and has been monitoring it like a hawk.
chopstickapple's reply was:
hawkne, you are incorrect. One of the biggest impacts on a credit score is the length of credit history, which for young people, is usually very low. In order to get the best score, you need to have at 7 years of credit history. Another factor is number of accounts, also low for young people. And credit utilization, which is directly impacted by your credit limit, which is almost always orders of magnitude lower for people with little credit history. The other factor - number of inquiries in the last two years - is also high (lower score) for people just starting to utilize credit, since they have just started opening their accounts. Basically, a person who is just starting to build his/her credit history has a terrible score. I can tell you this from personal experience, as a person who has a relatively new credit history, with no late payments, and has been monitoring it like a hawk.
chopstickapple's reply was:
Keep your balance at 1/3 $1000 credit line at $300 credit utilazatuion. my credit limit is $3300 with only three CC. My spending limit is $130 a card a month $490 or less total a month.... My Fico is 750 to 785.... credit utilazatuion is (A) less then 9% a month .....
four1cents's reply was:
I turned 18 in Nov 2012. I got my fist card the (Discover). That summer I got a card through my Credit union. Last fall I got a BOA card. This March I got that limit raised to 5,000. This week I got approved for a Chase Saphire Rewards Card. Total credit avaliable is $14,500. I havwe a 745 credit score. I will be 21 next month.
greenvashti's reply was:
Opening a new account lowers your time with a card, thus affecting your score negatively. The longer you have a card the better. Example if you have 1 card for 8 years Your average is 8 years. Open another new card and now your average time with 2 cards is 4 years. The longer you have a card the better.
jnye9999's reply was:
Enter Your Reply How true!! I am 57 and did not learn my credit lessons until I was 54 so congrats to you on learning at a young age
sillysaver1999's reply was:
Sounds to me like hawkne is a little butt mad at his own score... I'm "young" but have 5 years of solid credit and a great score. sucks to suck :p
Hindemostwoo's reply was:
21 People Helped
I raised my score 200 points in 3 years with alot of hard work...got a personal loan and now have 3 credit cards instead of 11....pay before the due date..dont use over 30% of your credit line...pay balance every month..if you dont need it dont buy it!!!! Maintain your residance...dont keep moving every couple years...lendars look at that though they wont tell you it effects your outcome!! By the way...my score was 560 41 months ago !!!
teddyssb47's comment was:
363 People Helped
The key to high credit scores and low interest loans and or mortgage is to plan ahead and budget.
Why budget? If you have a budget it is less likely that you will be short on money by the time the bill comes (this bill should be paid in full). You should never buy something that you can't afford NOW (exception house and maybe car) so at the end of the month it is paid in full. Keep Util rate between 1% and 9% as creditors want to see responsible and controlled usage. Plan ahead means that if you want to buy a house you (this is a big decision) you begin planning stage at least 1 year prior to the search of a home. This gives you time to verify credit scores, fix anything that is not accurate, lower balances should you have any balances not paid in full, pay off loans to decrease Debt-to-Income ratio, in other words, make yourself as attractive as possible to a potential lender.
There is no excuse to living paycheck to paycheck (save a terrible accident or terminal illness..), if you overspend, don't budget, don't plan ahead then it is YOUR fault that your credit score and life situation aren't as good as they can be.
Crosel's comment was:
EXCELLENT ADVICE ALL TRUE AND ACCURATE BRAVO
Derek19992000's reply was:
It also does not help when the stock market crashes twice in the final 8 years of a person's working years. There is nothing worse than having to live on Social Security because all you worked for in 45 years went down the tubes. That happened to a dear friend of mine who spent many years since high school and the military working as a mechanic. The only thing that allows him to live on SS is because his health care is free with the VA from his military during Vietnam. And his non-taxable income (tiny) as a Commander at an American Legion.
People want to blame others for not understanding how the stock market works, but the truth is not many people have enough knowledge to safe-guard their money on the stock markets. I have seen well-educated people make mistakes that is common even among those with little to no knowledge of stocks. If you can afford it, get life insurance and put money away that is invested in a regular savings account or your mattress (fire proof) or just put it in the bank safe in incraments of $100 bills.
JAG1972's reply was:
There are a lot of elements that go into a GREAT credit score including education, discipline, time. What I mean by that is the fundamentals of how credit works should be taught throughout your highshool education. There is no background on how credit cards, debt to income, and leaving within your means. I have been very blessed with not the money as my parents were not very well to do financially as my dad was a sole income earner working on a factory floor and my mom stayed at home. They saved 20% of their income paying themselves first every paycheck NO MATTER WHAT. They never lived beyond their means and budgeted their money accordingly. I learned these principles from my parents who have taught me more than I could ever put on paper, but the financial message that I received was (1. It's not what you earn, but what you spend that matters, 2. Never leave beyond your means 3. No one cares more about your financial future than you do, so plan as if there is no assistance). They are now just a few years from retirement and they should be set for the rest of their lives,not because of how much they earned, but because of what they did with their hard earned money.
kinngcobra1994's reply was:
I could not have said it better myself.
firespaz's reply was:
Well what is YOUR suggestion to those of us who are sick and all that there are, are medical bills. Some btw were paid with my insurance and are still reporting negative. I have fought one for 5 years now. When will everyone understand these 3 bureaus are not in it for us. Its bad enough to be sick but to be financial affected everyday for 7 days and I promise they all don't just drop off. It will always be my word against them and working with a collections agency is just a waste of my time and money. They lie!! I got one of KC's cc offers 3 weeks ago as they suggested to raise my score...I was just about to get me a new car since 1994 well that next week my credit dropped 70 points for a $300.00 credit..My credit union has no for my car loan.I thought KC was a blessing...wrong I guess...
amanda111669's reply was:
@Jag1972 I cannot disagree with you more. First of all, a person in their last few working years should not have their money invested in aggressive funds which make it susceptible to downward market trends, or a crash. The money should be moved to a much less aggressive fund such as treasury bonds. That would allow your money to continue to earn interest at a higher rate than it would in a savings account. Putting your money in your mattress, or a safe at the bank are ludicrous ideas to say the least because the money is not creating interest in any way.
BergstromJ's reply was:
6 People Helped
I am 34 years old, and have always paid cash for everything. I have 1 derogatory remark for a dental bill, and my score is only 526. How can I get it up to 620 fast?
RKSkinner's comment was:
The problem here is buying everything on cash. Cas has no money trail, and therefor leaves you with no credit history. It would be wise to get a small credit card, and use under 30% of your limit, paying it off monthly with your cash. This leaves a money trail, eg., your credit history.
I have friends who believe that having everything paid for in cash and no credit cards or loans is the way to live, and yes, that would be ideal, but what happens when you suddenly need a line of credit to buy a home, a large purchase (appliances) or need to pay medical bills. You suddenly need a loan and lenders cannot know whether they can trust you to payback a loan without a history, and you may not be granted the loan.
I have built my credit back up from my low score due to delinquencies from my abusive ex. He ruined my credit, and it has taken me about 4 years to fix my credit. My scored was up to 719 in Nov 2016, and I was able to get a loan and buy my first Home. I also was finally able to get a decent credit card. My previous one was a 250 dollar limit First Premier card with monthly and annual fees (those without credit have to pay to start building credit) Currently my score is 675, since I just got a new mortgage, but I applied and got two other major credit cards, and cancelled my First Premier one finally, after 7 years usuing that one. My score will take a little time to get back up past 700, but I don't need the credit now, having made my home purchase and currently having 5100$ credit limit, which I use responsibly, keeping my limit under 20%, and paying them off every month on time. I am sure my credit will be back up in 3 months.
It is important to have some type of credit history. You can get a small credit limit card, and since you have a low credit score, you might only qualify for one that you have to pay an annual fee for. Start somewhere, keep your balance low, pay off monthly, and in a few years, you will have enough credit and history to be able to get any type of loan you need. On just a 250$ credit limit and 7 years with that one card, I overcame my delinquencies (which happened actually about 4 years ago) and got a score of 697. My score took me a few years to bring up, because I had no idea about keeping utilization low until about 5 months ago. If you follow all the correct advise, your score can be up in mid 600s in about a year. You can do it too. Just be consistent.
MrsB4's reply was:
Pay the debt then ask the creditor to report it as paid to the credit bureaus if they do not put in a dispute with credit Karma they will dispute it for you. The creditor has 30 days to respond and fix it.
1cleanitup's reply was:
If you have a grandparent or someone who has a very old account, get them to put you as an authorized user and it will skyrocket your length of history and ontime payments. Then contact the dental company with a goodwill letter just simply asking if you could please have it taken off. The worst thing they can do is say no, but they usually have no problems if you're polite. If the dental bill is in collections or is charged off, don't contact them. Just wait for it to fall off unless it is brand new. Then get yourself a couple secured cards and up your available credit, use them just for gas and things and pay them off each month. Within a month you can have 100 pts added just from some simple measures.
Natalicio23's reply was:
122 People Helped
Its not always true that folks with lower credit scores are not financially responsible, it could be due to unforseen circumstances or situations in life that are beyond their immediate control. Some people feel just because they were born on third base that they scored a triple, if your from a family that bore the financial burden in order to make it easy for you, it may be unfair to critisize others who were born on the opposite side of the tracks. This is by no means an excuse nor should serve as a means to dodge your financial obligations, on the contrary it should motivate you to turn tragedy to triumph. Let's be a little more empathetic because everyones circumstance is totally unique and markedly different. There is only so much you can scrape and scratch and save with a low income but HUGH financial responsibilities.
doc908's comment was:
Right on!!! There should be help for medical bills too.
amanda111669's reply was:
93 People Helped
My strategie is to never charge more on my credit cards than I can pay off in one month. This has meant learning how to not only budget, but to put my needs before my wants. Also to all who are just starting out, one of the most important lessons is to pay yourself first..........savings, 401, pension plan, etc. This is a very important habit to get into. Fashions come and go, styles change with the seasons, but having a good monetary foundation to fall back on in case of emergency is a must. Buying a home that has a mortgage that is within reach of one person's pay check is a must.........big homes are beautiful and expensive to maintain, start small and work up to what you really want. For the last 30 years I have had the equivilent of 6 months net pay in my savings account. It was very difficult at first, but in the long run kept us from defaulting on our mortgage or falling behind on credit card/loan payments if one of us was out of work.
jehilde's comment was:
Excellent advice!
GreatCreditSore's reply was:
81 People Helped
Use credit wisely and I believe your credit score will reflect it.
As a convenience, and to get a 2% rebate, I make almost all my routine purchases wih a no annual fee credit card - but only up to the amount I can pay off in full each month.
The only other times I consider borrowing money are as follows:
1. To purchase income producing assets (e.g. business assets, education, etc.)
2. To purchase appreciating assets (e.g. a mortgage to purchase property)
3. Zero interest "teaser" loans that I will repay before the higher interest kicks in (usually up to a year)
4. Absolete emergencies
My advice:
Instead of going into debt and making monthly loan payments, first put your money into monthly savings. Then when you have accumulated enough, you can use those savings to pay for that car, TV, or vacation you've wanted. You'll save a bundle on interest and sleep better at night without worrying about how you'll be able to pay all your bills.
In short, live within your means. Spend only what you can afford. Save the rest. Borrow only when it is profitable or absolutely necessary -- and only when you know can afford to make all payments on time.
GreatCreditSore's comment was:
52 People Helped
It sucks that they don't teach how to manage your money and use credit in your advantage in high school. They definitely need a finance class that is required. I had to learn about everything myself. I'm 19, and have 4 credit cards, a paid off car loan, and an actual FICO score of 750. Credit karma calls it a 760 but my discover credit card gives free fico score updates. I don't see why people are complaining about others having advantages because not everyone needs one. I worked my way to that score within a year and a half. As soon as I turned 18 I joined the military and got a credit card through USAA. It was only a $300 limit but it was something. That allowed me to build credit towards a discover with a credit limit of $1800. Then I got a car loan paid it off, and applied for a Chase sapphire card which I instantly got accepted for a $5k line. I also have an amazon credit card with another $1800. So people need to stop complaining about how others have had an advantage and just accept the fact that sometimes you're not prepared for life. (With the exceptions of anyone in debt to medical issues which is pretty devastating.)
mikey40lil's comment was:
In my high school, you can't graduate unless you take an economic and financing class. hopefully all high school adopt this.
BrittBritt91996's reply was:
your young, give it time....
Triceec's reply was:
I'm surprised by your comment...it is common sense basic financial 101 here.
•You take out a loan, or credit card there are terms listed for each. If you see that the loans interest rate is 27% it should prompt you to reconsider your loan.
- What you earn monthly is negative after your financial obligations you need to change your spending stat.
- Capitalism teaches us that you want to always be in the black and not in the red.
- Invest in yourself first i.e. Income property that pays for itself or if properly chosen pay for itself and supplements you monthly income.
- best advice by most financial experts is to remember that a loan or credit card is not really your money. Always have at least six months of net income in savings and utilize loans credit cars only if it is beneficial to you. Mortgage, interest free credit card offer that you can pay off, obviously before the term ends and interest is accrued.
- SPEND ONLY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
- pay yourself first each pay period.
sfrana's reply was:
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