Skip to main content

What Is a Good Credit Score?

By U.S. News & World Report

What is considered a good credit score depends on the type of credit score used. You have multiple credit scores, but the most popular type of score is FICO, followed by VantageScore.

Even within each type of score, there are multiple score versions offered to lenders when they want to check your credit score. So, I’m not surprised if you find it frustrating trying to determine what is considered a good credit score.

The good credit score range for a FICO score is different from what it is for VantageScore. So it’s important to know which score you’re trying to interpret. But once you understand your credit status, you’ll have an idea of what credit cards or loans you can qualify for and which ones you’re unlikely to get approved for.

[Read: Cash Back Credit Cards]

What Is a Good FICO Score?

The FICO score ranges from 300 to 850 and actually has two categories for good credit. Here are the credit score ranges:

— Exceptional: 800+

— Very good: 740 to 799

— Good: 670 to 739

— Fair: 580 to 669

— Poor: 579 and lower

The average FICO score as of April 2025 was 715, which is solidly in the “good” category. Note that there’s also a “very good” FICO score range. If you fall within this range, 740 to 799, you have a score that’s higher than average. You have an excellent chance to get approved — and get low interest rates — when you apply for credit.

[Read: Travel Credit Cards]

What Is a Good VantageScore?

VantageScore 3.0 ranges from 300 to 850, just like the FICO score does. Here are its credit score ranges:

— Superprime: 781 to 850

— Prime: 661 to 780

— Near Prime: 601 to 660

— Subprime: 300 to 600

A good, or “prime,” VantageScore ranges from 661 to 780. Are you wondering why 669 is a fair FICO score but a good VantageScore? It’s because the factors that are included in the scores aren’t weighted exactly the same. For this reason, you can’t directly compare the two score versions.

FICO SCORE FICO CREDIT RATING VANTAGESCORE 3.0 VANTAGESCORE CREDIT RATING
800-850 Exceptional 781-850 Superprime
740-799 Very Good 661-780 Prime
670-739 Good 601-660 Near Prime
580-669 Fair 300-600 Subprime
579 and lower Poor

What Impacts Your Credit Score?

Your FICO score is calculated using a variety of information that’s in your credit report. The score algorithm does not consider your income, demographic information, political beliefs or religion.

Only these five factors are considered:

— Payment history: 35%

— Amounts owed: 30%

— Length of credit history: 15%

— New credit: 10%

— Credit mix: 10%

VantageScores weigh factors a bit differently than FICO scores. There are six factors that VantageScore 3.0 takes into account.

— Payment history: 40%

— Depth of credit: 21%

— Credit utilization: 20%

— Balances: 11%

— Recent credit: 5%

— Available credit: 3%

The VantageScore 3.0 is more well known than VantageScore 4.0. The 4.0 version puts more emphasis on payment history and new credit, and puts less weight on depth of credit.

As you can see, the weighting differences are the reason why a VantageScore of 669 isn’t directly comparable to a FICO score of 699.

Benefits of a Good Credit Score

Here’s what a good credit score can do for you:

— With a score of around 670, you’re in the “prime” lending category. You won’t get the top rates for a loan or mortgage, but you’ll get decent offers.

— With good credit, it’s possible to be approved for some of the top credit cards that have excellent rewards.

— In some states, a good credit score helps lower your car insurance premiums.

— If you have a financial emergency and need a personal loan, you’re more likely to be approved for a lower interest rate.

If you’re rebuilding or establishing credit, there are strategies you can use to help you move up to good credit. All it takes is patience and a little bit of time to get there.

How to Get a Good Credit Score

Now that you know what factors are important for a healthy credit score, you’re ready to be a credit score high achiever. Here are a few things you can do that will help you move up in the credit score world, regardless of which score is used.

Review Your Credit Report for Errors

To make sure your score is an accurate portrayal of your creditworthiness, check your free credit reports regularly. Your goal is to make sure there are no errors that could lower your score. You can get your three free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. It’s a good idea to check a bureau credit report every three or four months to make sure your reports are accurate and there are no signs of fraud.

Pay Your Bills On Time

There isn’t a magic formula that will make your score jump from 600 to 670 in record time. But you can nudge your score in the right direction by having a history of on-time payments.

Payment history is 35% of your FICO score, so take your bill-paying activities seriously. I’m talking about paying every bill on time, whether it’s your credit card, mortgage or cellphone bill. You can’t have a sloppy payment history and attain an exceptional credit score.

[Read: Credit Cards With No Annual Fee]

Know Your Credit Utilization Ratio

Your credit utilization ratio is the amount of credit you’ve used compared with the amount of credit you have available.

You want to pay off your balances in full and by the due date every month. Carrying a balance on credit cards leads to debt, so don’t fall into that trap. But you also need to be aware of the balance you maintain during the month.

During the monthly payment cycle, keep your credit card balances to less than 30% of your limit. For example, if you have a $3,000 credit limit, don’t have a balance of more than $900 (3,000 x 0.3) at any time during the month. If you want to see even faster improvement, keep your ratio to less than 10%.

And take note that you can’t cheat. Let’s say you have three credit cards and each one has a $1,000 credit limit. You have a 50% ratio on one ($500) and a 10% ratio on the other two cards ($100 on each card).

Here’s the math: 500+100+100=700, which translates into an excellent credit utilization ratio of 23% (700/3,000).

You might assume that because your overall ratio is less than 30% that you’re golden. But the FICO score assesses not only the total utilization ratio, but also the ratios of each individual credit card.

You can’t maximize this factor of the FICO score when you have a card with a 50% ratio. There are no free lunches with credit scores!

Play With Timing

If you’re determined to “game” the system, here’s your chance. Your credit score changes every time the credit bureaus update your credit file with new information, which is reported by your lenders every month.

Find out when your credit card issuer reports to the credit bureaus. If you have a credit balance that’s larger than usual, make two payments in one month. This will keep your reported balance low, so it won’t produce a high ratio.

Maintain a Mix of Credit

I’m certainly not advocating that you run out and get an installment loan to boost your score, but having an assortment of credit helps a little. For example, if you have credit cards (revolving accounts) and a personal loan (installment account), that’s better for your score than having only a few revolving credit card accounts.

Don’t Apply for Credit Often

There are two different kinds of inquiries: soft inquiries and hard inquiries. An example of a soft inquiry is when you check your own credit report or when an issuer takes a quick look at your credit report to determine if you’re in its target market. Soft inquiries do not impact your credit score.

An example of a hard inquiry is when you apply for a credit card or a loan and the lender does a thorough review of your credit report to gauge your creditworthiness. A hard inquiry can lower your score up to five points. If you’re on the edge between fair and good credit, multiple credit card applications can lower your score enough to pull you further away from good credit.

This is why you need to apply for credit cards at least four to six months apart. That gives your score time to bounce back. You want your score as high as possible before you apply for any type of credit.

How to Get a Free Credit Score

If you have a credit card, your lender probably gives you access to your free credit score. Some of these are FICO scores, but some are VantageScores. If you aren’t sure which credit score version you’re viewing, then call your issuer and ask. It’s important to know the type of score so you interpret the number correctly.

You can also get free scores from banks and many websites. All you have to do is start searching for a free score, and you’ll find a way to access it.

More from U.S. News

What Is the Highest Credit Score?

6 Benefits of a Good Credit Score

What You Need to Know About ‘Free’ Credit Scores

What Is a Good Credit Score? originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 01/14/26: The story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

Deputy followed her six miles, then threw her to the ground: Sun Prairie family alleges racial profiling, excessive force

By CNN
Click here for updates on this story    SUN PRAIRIE, WI (365 Media Foundation, Inc) -- A Sun Prairie family has filed complaints with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and Sun Prairie Police Department (SPPD), and is pursuing legal action, after a Dane County Sheriff’s Deputy followed a 19-year-old woman for more than six miles, handcuffed her father, forcibly threw her to the ground and violently detained her without provocation.Sun Prairie Police body camera video shows Bryanna Montgomery, 19, was backing away from Deputy Tory Boyce when he grabbed her arm and the back of her neck, throwing her to the ground and kneeling on her back. With the assistance of Sun Prairie Police officer Tyler Chitwood, who also knelt on Bryanna Montgomery’s back, Boyce placed Montgomery in the back of his patrol car.“I’m about to watch my kid get killed in front of our (expletive) house,” Jovan Montgomery recalls thinking. He said he may pursue therapy, as the whole encounter has given him recurring nightmares.A Sun Prairie Police Department spokesman said the department is looking into the case but could not comment at this time. “The Dane County Sheriff’s Office takes all complaints about the conduct of our employees seriously. Maintaining the trust and confidence of our community members is of the utmost importance,” Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barret said in an email to Madison365. “Whenever we receive a complaint, we thoroughly review the matter and take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation.”The following video comes from two SPPD body cameras. The second depicts a better view of Boyce’s actions but is muted, which is against SPPD policy. The video contains profanity and disturbing images.youtu.be/Q1m7lt0gYOs?si=mZGLeF-gYyLHu0EwAll eight body camera videos are available at this link: youtu.be/AwpbkPlcdkEThe incidentJovan Montgomery told Madison365 that he and his daughter Bryanna had gone to Madison’s east side to pick up his other daughter’s car late Wednesday, July 29. Bryanna was driving that car back to their home in Sun Prairie, with Jovan in his car behind. He said he noticed a Dane County Sheriff’s Deputy following closely behind Bryanna on the East Side of Madison, and that the deputy continued to follow her all the way to Sun Prairie. A ticket mailed to Bryanna subsequently alleges that she ran the stop sign at Portage Road and Hanson Road in the Town of Burke. Google Maps indicates that it’s a 6.6-mile drive from there to the Montgomery home, which is where Boyce finally turned on his lights and pulled Bryanna over.A DCSO representative said there’s no set policy on how long it should take to initiate a traffic stop after a deputy observes a violation.“The timeline completely depends on the discretion of the individual law enforcement officer surrounding the anticipated contact,” DCSO Public Information Officer Elise Shaffer wrote in an email responding to Madison365’s questions. “Every contact with the public presents its own unique set of circumstances.”Madison365 has submitted open records requests for Boyce’s patrol car dash cam video. The dark blue route is the one Jovan Montgomery said he and his daughter took from the East Side of Madison to Sun Prairie, with Sheriff’s Deputy Tory Boyce following the entire way. Jovan Montgomery said he followed the deputy as the deputy followed Byranna, calling his wife, who was at home. When they arrived home and the deputy turned his lights on, Jovan parked behind the deputy’s car. Jovan got out of his car just as Boyce was getting out of his, and Jovan said Boyce immediately shone his flashlight into Jovan’s eyes and demanded to see his ID. Jovan Montgomery said he asked what crime he had committed, and declined to show his ID. A law enforcement officer can ask anyone for an ID, and a person can decline that request, unless the officer has reasonable suspicion that they’ve committed a crime, Shaffer said. “He probably wanted to see if I got a warrant (for arrest),” Jovan Montgomery said. “I don’t. Once he saw me, he saw a Black man, and he’s like, ‘target acquired.'”After declining to provide an ID, Jovan Montgomery walked onto his front lawn and requested Boyce summon assistance from the Sun Prairie Police Department (SPPD), because he knew SPPD uses body cameras. Eight SPPD officers arrived very shortly thereafter.SPPD body camera video indicates that Boyce told SPPD officers “he’s detained, she’s detained,” pointing in turn at Jovan and Bryanna Montgomery. Jovan Montgomery’s wife and Bryanna’s stepmother, Emily Wendt, was also outside and vocally confrontational with police, but was not detained.Wendt is white. Jovan and Bryanna Montgomery are Black.SPPD officer Tyler Chitwood wrote in an incident report that he asked Boyce if he wanted Jovan Montgomery in handcuffs, and that Boyce said yes.Chitwood’s body camera video shows that he asked, “You want him actually detained?” And Boyce answered, “Yes, with the way he’s acting,” as Jovan Montgomery, standing on his front lawn, took a step back with his arms folded.Chitwood and officer Odalys Gloria then placed Jovan Montgomery in handcuffs. Chitwood wrote in his report that Jovan Montgomery offered “passive resistance” by tensing his arm, but complied.Shaffer said Wisconsin law enforcement officers “are allowed to handcuff a person when that person is under formal arrest, placed in protective custody, or when a law enforcement officer has specific articulable facts showing the person poses a safety or flight risk during temporary detention.”Madison365 has submitted open records requests for Deputy Boyce’s incident reports to ascertain whether he articulated any such facts. Shaffer could not answer whether his reports contain such facts.Video recorded by Chitwood and Gloria then shows Boyce speaking with Bryanna Montgomery on the sidewalk. Boyce said he wanted to “explain the traffic stop” and seemed to indicate he wanted Bryanna Montgomery to move closer to the street for that purpose. It’s unclear why he couldn’t explain the traffic stop where they were standing, on the sidewalk. Bryanna Montgomery did not seem threatening, nor did she seem to be attempting to flee. However, when she refused to walk with Boyce toward the street, he grabbed her upper arm with one hand, the back of her neck with the other and threw her face-first to the ground, on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb. While Wendt screamed and implored officers to get off of her, and Jovan told Bryanna to hold still and calm down, both Chitwood and Boyce knelt on her back while securing her in handcuffs. She said once that she couldn’t breathe. Once they had her cuffed, Chitwood asked whether she needed an ambulance; she said no. They then walked her to a patrol car and she voluntarily got in the back seat, saying, “I weigh like 20 times less than both of you. You don’t need two grown men on my (expletive) back.”A few minutes later, a DCSO Sergeant arrived and walked Jovan toward his garage door, away from the SPPD officers. Jovan said he explained the situation to the sergeant and the sergeant unlocked the handcuffs on him and instructed SPPD officers to get Bryanna out of the squad car and unlock the handcuffs on her. Boyce told Bryanna that he would mail a ticket, and the police all left.Bryanna Montgomery then received tickets in the mail for failure to obey a traffic sign, for following too closely and for driving without her driver’s license on her person. Jovan Montgomery received a ticket for following Boyce too closely. That ticket indicates the violation happened on Main Street in Sun Prairie, even though all three vehicles avoided Main Street due to road construction.“This was a big deal”After the police had all left, Wendt and Jovan Montgomery took Bryanna to the emergency room, where she was treated for a racing heart rate, difficulty breathing, and abrasions to her legs. A little over a week later, during an interview with Madison365, Jovan seemed more traumatized than Bryanna was.“You’re supposed to de-escalate,” he said of his expectations of police. “You’re supposed to make sure people feel safe. I don’t even feel safe in front of police anymore.”He said he remembers hearing Bryanna say, “We’re not doing this today” to Boyce, and thinking she meant, “we’re not doing what you guys just did a week ago with Corey (Ruiz),” referring to the man shot and killed by Madison police on July 22, just a week before this encounter. “That’s not gonna happen. You’re not gonna do any violence or murder somebody in front of our house. I’m no threat.”Bryanna said she felt more disrespected than fearful.“You’re not even talking to me like I’m a human,” Bryanna said. “You’re talking to me like you own me.”“It just seemed like it was just a really bad day, and it seemed like the deputy wanted to make it a worse day,” Jovan Montgomery said. “I really feel that I was being targeted… as a Black man.”The family has filed complaints with both DCSO and SPPD. They have also consulted an attorney and are considering a lawsuit against both agencies.“I want a public apology towards me and for my child, because a routine traffic stop should not turn into where people are being thrown around like rag dolls or like we’re slaves,” Jovan said. “Those days are over with.”Wendt said she wants “some accountability that something’s going to change. There’s going to have to be some monetary compensation, too. This is trauma… what we want is acknowledgement. We want Byranna’s case to mean something for change. This was a big deal.”Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Latest News
Wisconsin's Democratic showdown and more primary races to watch today
17 minutes ago

Wisconsin's Democratic showdown and more primary races to watch today

In brief: Michelle Monaghan hockey series gets title 'The Sticks' and more

LeBron James' 1st home game as a Philadelphia 76er announced

Tyler Boebert arrested on child sexual exploitation charges

A tropical depression could soon form in the Atlantic — but can it survive El Niño’s hostile conditions?