No, average credit scores are no longer rising overall; after years of gains, most recent data shows scores flattening or slipping a point or two.
For years, headlines answered the question are credit scores going up? with a simple “yes.” Scores climbed almost every year through the late 2010s and the early pandemic period. Now the story is more mixed. Recent reports show national averages holding steady or sliding slightly, while gaps between groups of borrowers widen.
This article breaks down what the latest numbers show, why credit scores moved the way they did, and what that means for your own score. You will see how the average credit score trend interacts with rising delinquencies, higher interest rates, and student loan payments coming back online, then walk through steps that can help your personal trend line.
Are Credit Scores Going Up? What The Data Shows
Before looking at details, it helps to step back and ask again: are credit scores going up across the country? The short answer is no. National averages are still high by historical standards, but the steady climb has paused, and some score models now show small declines.
Experian’s 2024 Consumer Credit Review reports that the average FICO score in the United States sat at 715 through the twelve months ending in the third quarter of 2024, unchanged from the same period in 2023. FICO has also noted that the national average FICO score, which reached 717 earlier in 2023, slipped by a point for the first time in a decade. VantageScore data paints a similar picture, with the average VantageScore around the low 700s and edging down in some recent updates.
Long-Run Trend In Average FICO Scores
Even though the last year or two look flat, the longer run shows a clear climb. The national average FICO score rose steadily from the late 2000s through 2022, helped by tighter lending standards after the Great Recession and pandemic relief that kept many borrowers current on their bills. Only recently have signs of strain started to show up in the numbers.
| Year Or Period | Approx. Average FICO Score | Direction Versus Prior Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | About 706 | Up slightly |
| 2020 | Around 710–711 | Up |
| 2021 | Around 714 | Up |
| 2022 | Around 716 | Up |
| Early 2023 | About 717 | Peak level |
| Q3 2023 | About 715 | Down slightly |
| Q3 2024 | 715 | Flat versus 2023 |
| 2025 Reports | Around 715 with minor dips | Flat to slightly down |
Different score providers do not publish identical averages, and they update on different timetables. Still, they cluster around the same story: compared with 2019, the typical score is higher. Compared with the peak year or two ago, the average is flat or a touch lower, not marching higher.
VantageScore Trends And Delinquency Signals
VantageScore’s CreditGauge reports an average VantageScore 4.0 around 701–702 in recent years, with the score holding level through much of 2024 while credit card and other loan balances reached multi-year highs. Later updates highlighted the first small declines in the average, along with rising late-stage delinquencies for auto loans and mortgages. When more accounts fall 90 days or more past due, score models tend to push affected borrowers down the scale.
Federal Reserve economists have also written about credit card and auto loan delinquency trends. Early in the tightening cycle, delinquencies rose from unusually low pandemic levels, then eased or leveled off in 2024. In some newer reports, card and personal loan delinquency growth has slowed, while mortgage and auto stress has become more visible. That mix helps explain why national averages are not plunging, but also not climbing as they once did.
Who Still Sees Scores Going Up?
Even when the overall average stalls, plenty of people see their personal scores rise. Experian data shows average scores by age group still differ quite a bit: older borrowers, who have longer histories and often lower utilization, sit higher on the scale than younger adults who are just starting to build credit. Some households are paying down pandemic-era savings cushions and running higher card balances, while others are using extra cash to wipe out revolving debt, which can send individual scores higher even as the national line stays flat.
Why Credit Scores Are Going Up Or Down In 2025
To really answer “are credit scores going up?” you have to look at the forces that push them around. Score formulas rest on a few core building blocks: payment history, credit utilization, length of history, mix of accounts, and how often you take on new debt. Recent changes in the economy affect several of those pieces at once.
Payment History And Rising Delinquencies
Payment history carries the most weight in both FICO and VantageScore formulas. During the early pandemic period, relief programs, stimulus checks, and paused student loan payments helped many borrowers keep accounts current. Agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that more borrowers moved from subprime tiers into prime tiers during that stretch, as late payments dropped.
As support programs ended and inflation eroded budgets, late payments started to climb again, especially among younger and lower-income borrowers. Recent VantageScore updates show that even prime and superprime borrowers have seen late-stage delinquencies grow, although from low levels. Each missed payment can shave many points off a score, so a broad rise in delinquencies tends to flatten or drag down national averages after a lag.
Debt Levels, Interest Rates, And Utilization
Debt balances matter not only because they shape monthly bills but because they drive utilization, the share of available revolving credit that you are using. High utilization is linked to lower scores. With card interest rates higher than they were a few years ago, carrying a balance is more expensive, and paying only the minimum can keep utilization stuck at a high level.
Data from the Federal Reserve’s consumer credit releases shows that overall consumer credit continues to grow, with non-revolving loans such as auto and education debt rising and revolving credit bouncing around as borrowers adjust spending. VantageScore’s CreditGauge has flagged four-year highs in average balances, which line up with reports of modest dips in credit scores as more households lean on credit lines.
Student Loans, Housing Costs, And Budget Pressure
The return of federal student loan payments has been a turning point for some borrowers. FICO’s recent commentary points to rising delinquencies on student loans and spillover effects on other accounts as households juggle multiple payments again. Younger borrowers, who are more likely to carry student debt and have thinner credit files, have seen some of the biggest score drops.
At the same time, higher housing and car costs mean bigger loan balances when people borrow. That can push utilization higher, lengthen payoff timelines, and leave less room in the monthly budget. All of those factors make it easier to slip into late payments, which then feed back into the scoring models as lower marks.
For a deeper data picture, public sources such as the
Experian 2024 Consumer Credit Review
and FICO’s
analysis of national FICO scores
outline how averages and delinquency rates have shifted since the pandemic period.
What “Are Credit Scores Going Up?” Means For You
Knowing that the national answer to “are credit scores going up?” is “not anymore” can feel unsettling, but the more useful question is how your own pattern looks. A flat or slightly lower national average does not lock in your personal outcome. You can still move your score in a better direction with steady habits, even while the national line loses a few points.
If Your Score Is Already High
If your score sits in the high 700s or above, the main goal is to avoid unforced errors. A single missed payment or a sudden spike in card utilization can do more damage when you start from a strong level. Automatic payments for at least the minimum due, plus a calendar reminder to check statements, can guard against surprise slips.
You can also watch for new account offers that might tempt you into opening several cards in a short period. A hard inquiry or two over a year usually has only a small effect, but many new accounts in a tight span can trim your score for a while and make lenders nervous about rapid borrowing.
If Your Score Sits In The Middle Range
Middle-range scores, often in the 650–720 band, can swing more sharply in response to changes in balances. For many people in this group, utilization is the fastest lever to move a score. Paying down revolving balances, spreading purchases across cards to keep each one under about thirty percent of its limit, or asking for a higher limit without increasing spending can all bring utilization down.
At the same time, keeping old accounts open, even if you do not use them much, helps with the “length of history” factor. Closing an older card may shorten your average age of accounts and reduce your total available credit, which can both nudge the score downward.
If You Are Rebuilding After Past Problems
For borrowers working back from late payments, charge-offs, or collections, national averages matter less than the path from month to month. The biggest gains tend to arrive in the first couple of years of clean history, as the scoring models see that recent behavior now looks steady.
Tools such as secured credit cards or credit-builder loans can give you a way to show on-time payments again, but they work best when you keep balances modest and avoid new missed payments. Over time, older negative marks carry less weight, and the score reflects the newer pattern more than the old one.
Common Moves And How They Tend To Affect Scores
It helps to translate score rules into everyday choices. The table below lays out how common actions often show up in credit score changes over the next year or two. Exact effects vary by person and by scoring model, but the general direction is consistent.
| Action | Likely Score Direction | Reason Over Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pay every bill on time for 12+ months | Up | Builds clean payment history and offsets older marks |
| Cut card utilization from 60% to under 30% | Up | Lower revolving balances reduce risk signals |
| Open several new cards within a few months | Down at first | Multiple inquiries and new accounts add short-term risk |
| Miss payments by 30–59 days | Down | Late marks weigh heavily, especially on newer files |
| Let accounts fall 90+ days past due | Down sharply | Serious delinquencies pull scores down for years |
| Close old cards while carrying balances | Down | Higher utilization and shorter history hurt the score |
| Mix of card, auto, and installment loans handled well | Up gradually | Shows experience with different types of credit |
How To Track Your Own Credit Score Trend Safely
Watching your score move can feel like watching a stock ticker, but that approach adds stress and not much insight. A better method is to track a simple trend line over months, with context from your credit report. That way you can see whether recent choices line up with the direction of your score.
In the United States, you can access your credit reports from the major bureaus through the official AnnualCreditReport website. Many banks and card issuers also show a free FICO or VantageScore version inside their apps. Each tool uses its own formula and update schedule, so the exact number may differ, but the direction across months should tell a consistent story.
When you review a report, scan for three things: on-time versus late payments, revolving utilization on each card, and any new accounts or hard inquiries you did not expect. If something looks wrong, dispute it through the bureau that reports it. Cleaning up errors can raise your score and, just as importantly, make sure lenders view your history accurately.
This article offers general information on credit scoring and does not replace advice from a qualified professional who can review your full financial picture.
Simple Habits That Help Scores Over Time
Even though national numbers show that credit scores are no longer rising in a straight line, the rules that guide score health have not changed much. Small, steady habits matter more than one-time moves. These steps line up with how modern score formulas work and can tilt your personal answer toward “yes” when you ask yourself whether your credit scores are going up.
- Pay at least the minimum on every account before the due date, every month.
- Aim to pay revolving balances down so that each card stays well under its limit.
- Avoid opening many new accounts at once unless there is a clear plan behind each one.
- Keep your oldest accounts open and in good standing when possible.
- Set up alerts or automatic payments to reduce the chance of missing a bill.
- Check your reports a few times a year for errors or signs of identity theft.
None of these habits require perfect timing or complex strategies. They rest on steady bill payment, modest use of credit relative to limits, and regular checks of your information. Paired with awareness of how lenders see delinquencies and rising balances, they can help you keep your own score trend healthier than the national averages.
Final Thoughts On Credit Score Trends
The data shows that national averages no longer climb year after year. Instead, they sit near record highs while soft spots appear beneath the surface: higher balances, more late payments in certain groups, and pressure from student loans and housing costs. That mix explains why headline numbers may look steady even as some borrowers feel more strain.
For your own finances, the best takeaway is that you still have control over many of the factors that shape your score. Long stretches of on-time payments, reasonable use of credit lines, and quick responses to errors can move your personal line in a better direction, even while the national answer to “are credit scores going up?” has shifted from a clear yes to a more cautious maybe.