What Is a Good Credit Score? FICO Range Chart and Score-by-Score Guide

Credit score ranges explained: is 650, 700 or 760 a good credit score? See the FICO range chart (300–850), what each score gets you and how to move up.

By Diego Santander Published October 22, 2026 Updated October 30, 2026 7 min read

In this guide (11)

Quick answer: on the FICO scale, which runs from 300 to 850, a good credit score is 670 or higher. Scores of 740–799 are very good and 800–850 are exceptional. Below 670 is “fair” (580–669) or “poor” (300–579).

Your credit score is a number that sums up how reliable you are at paying debts. It decides whether you’re approved for a card, a loan or an apartment — and how much interest you’ll pay. Below you’ll find the full range chart and a score-by-score guide, so you can see exactly where your number lands.

FICO credit score range chart

The most widely used score in the U.S. is the FICO Score, which ranges from 300 to 850:

Chart of FICO Score ranges: exceptional 800–850, very good 740–799, good 670–739, fair 580–669 and poor 300–579

Range	Score	What it means
Exceptional	800–850	Access to the best rates and offers
Very good	740–799	Very good rates; easy approval
Good	670–739	Approved for most products
Fair	580–669	Approved for some products, at higher rates
Poor	300–579	Hard to get traditional credit

In short: 670 and above is considered a good score, and 740+ is very good. According to FICO’s most recent data (2026), the average FICO Score in the U.S. is around 714.

Is my credit score good? A score-by-score guide

Find your number in the table:

Your score	FICO range	Is it good?
800–850	Exceptional	Yes — the top tier. You’ll usually qualify for the best rates and offers.
740–799	Very good	Yes — very good rates and easy approvals.
700–739	Good	Yes — a solid score for most cards and loans.
670–699	Good	Yes, but you’re near the bottom of “good”: a few points down puts you in “fair”.
620–669	Fair	Not yet. You can get approved for some products, usually at higher rates.
580–619	Fair	Lower end of fair. Many lenders will decline or charge much more.
300–579	Poor	No. Focus on rebuilding (see the steps below).

Quick answers for common scores

Is 670 a good credit score? Yes — 670 is where FICO’s “good” range starts.
Is 675, 695 or 705 a good credit score? Yes, they’re in the good range (670–739). Getting above 740 can still lower the rates you’re offered.
Is 733 a good credit score? Yes — it’s near the top of “good”, close to “very good”.
Is 759, 761, 763 or 783 a good credit score? Yes — they’re very good (740–799).
Is 789 a good FICO score? Very good, and just 11 points from exceptional.
Is 805 a good credit score? It’s exceptional (800–850).
What is a perfect credit score? 850, the highest possible FICO Score. You don’t need a perfect score: once you’re in the 800s, you usually get the same top offers.
Is 640, 649 or 652 a good credit score? Not quite — they’re fair (580–669). You’re roughly 20–30 points from “good”.
Is 599, 611, 612, 622 or 626 a good credit score? They’re in the lower part of fair. A secured card and on-time payments are a good way to climb.
Is 583 or 591 a good FICO score? They’re fair, but barely above “poor” (300–579).

What about VantageScore?

It’s another scoring system that also runs from 300 to 850, created by the three credit bureaus. Many free apps show your VantageScore, while most lenders use FICO. That’s why it’s normal to see slightly different numbers in different places. What matters is the trend: if it rises in one, it usually rises in the others.

FICO vs. VantageScore ranges

FICO range	FICO label	VantageScore 3.0 range	VantageScore label
800–850	Exceptional	781–850	Excellent
740–799	Very good	661–780	Good
670–739	Good	601–660	Fair
580–669	Fair	300–600	Poor
300–579	Poor

The rows don’t line up one to one: the two models draw their ranges differently, and credit bureaus don’t always use the same labels. A lender may also set its own cutoffs.

What makes up your FICO Score

Factor	Share of your score	What it looks at
Payment history	About 35%	Whether you pay on time
Amounts owed	About 30%	How much you owe, including your credit utilization
Length of credit history	About 15%	How long your accounts have been open
New credit	About 10%	Recent applications and new accounts
Credit mix	About 10%	The types of credit you have, such as cards and loans

So the two habits that matter most are paying on time and keeping your card balances low. Check yours with our free credit utilization calculator.

How much money a good score saves you

A lot. For example, on a $25,000 car loan over 60 months, paying 6% instead of 12% interest saves you more than $4,000 (we explain it in how car loan interest works). The same goes for cards, personal loans, mortgages and, in many states, even car insurance.

What credit score do you need?

There’s no single number, because each lender sets its own rules. These are general guides:

What you want	Score that usually helps	Good to know
Regular credit card	670+	With no history or fair credit, start with a secured card
Car loan	Varies a lot	Lower scores can get approved, but at much higher rates
Personal loan	670+ for better rates	See personal loans with bad credit if you’re lower
Apartment	Set by each landlord	Many also look at income and rental history
Mortgage	Often around 620+ for conventional loans	FHA loans can go lower, and 740+ usually gets the best rates

Don’t have a score yet?

If you’ve just arrived or never had credit, you may have no score (which isn’t the same as a bad one). Start with how to build credit in the U.S. from scratch or, without an SSN, how to build credit with an ITIN.

How to move up to the next range

Pay everything on time, always.
Use less than 30% of your limit — under 10% is better (guide).
Fix errors on your reports (how to dispute them).
Don’t open many accounts at once.
Be patient: the age of your history counts too.

Need to improve quickly? Read how to raise your credit score fast. Starting from zero? See how long it takes to build credit. Is card debt holding your score down? Compare the debt avalanche vs. snowball methods.

Why did my credit score drop?

Possible cause	What to do
Your card balance went up	Pay it down. This can recover quickly once a lower balance is reported
A payment was reported 30+ days late	Get current right away, and ask the lender whether it can help if it was a one-time mistake
You applied for new credit	A hard inquiry usually costs only a few points
You closed a card	You lost its limit, so your utilization may have gone up
There’s an error or fraud	Check your reports and dispute it

Small changes of a few points are normal, because your score updates as new information is reported.

Where to check your score for free

Many banks and card issuers show your score for free in their app.
You can see your credit reports (not the score) for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Checking your own score doesn’t lower it.

FAQ

What is the credit score range? FICO Scores go from 300 to 850. VantageScore, the other common model, uses the same 300–850 scale, but its categories are drawn a little differently.

What is considered an excellent credit score? On the FICO scale, 800–850 is “exceptional” and 740–799 is “very good”. Most people mean one of those two ranges when they say “excellent”.

What score do I need for a credit card? For regular cards, a “good” score (670+) is usually enough. With fair credit or no history, start with a secured card.

What score do I need to buy a house? It depends on the loan type: some programs accept lower scores, but the best rates usually require 740 or higher.

Does my credit score from another country count? Usually not. Your history starts from zero in the U.S.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Ranges can vary slightly by model and lender. Read our Disclaimer.

Official sources

Links open the official websites. Rules change: always check the latest information there.