U.S. cities with the highest and lowest credit scores
Photo Credit: (MGN Online)
February 12, 2019
MOON TOWNSHIP – Do you live in a city that is known for having good credit scores? WalletHub has ranked U.S. cities with the highest and lowest credit scores.
Based on TransUnion data, 2,572 cities were ranked by their median credit score, giving an insight on each city’s overall financial habits.
As of September 2018, The Villages in Florida has the highest median credit score of 806. Following The Villages, a few other cities in Florida, Arizona and California made the top five:
- The Villages, FL – 806
- Sun City Center, FL – 791
- Sun City West, AZ – 789
- Saratoga, CA – 784
- Green Valley, AZ – 783
In contrast, Camden, New Jersey, is last on the list with a median credit score of 543. Financial experts give their advice for young people trying to increase their credit score.
“If you are a young adult, create a documented track record of prudent borrowing and quick repayment,” said Louann Cummings, a professor of business in the University of Findlay. “For example, always pay your total credit card bills within the current billing cycle to avoid ridiculous interest payments and to provide evidence of your bill-paying ethic.”
Out of 2,572 cities, Pittsburgh is ranked 833 with a median score of 719. Jia Liu, assistant professor of finance in Husson University, discusses common mistakes people make when they are trying to improve their credit score.
“I would say the improper use of credit cards is a common mistake,” said Liu. “For instance … if you use your credit card to buy a car or boat, that’s a problem.”
According to certified financial planner Jason S. Speciner, building up credit score comes with time, but proper financial habits can pay off.
“Unfortunately, a good credit score is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Speciner. “Half of a credit score is the payment history and the length of the credit history.”
