2023's Cities with the Highest & Lowest Credit Scores

If you’ve ever applied for a loan or credit card, you know that your credit score is more than just a three-digit number: it’s a representation of your financial habits. And it tends to speak volumes, especially about how well you manage your debts.

But have you ever wondered how well your neighbors, your coworkers or perhaps your local Starbucks barista handle their finances? Are they as responsible — or irresponsible — as you are when it comes to paying bills or knowing when to use or refrain from using a credit card? Of course, credit scores aren’t solely a reflection of responsibility – it’s possible to have your credit score drop due to financial hardship that’s out of your control. In fact, in 2022, the average credit score didn’t go up for the first time in over a decade, hampered by economic factors like high inflation.

Some cities residents’ have higher credit scores than others, though. In this report, WalletHub compared the median credit scores of residents in 2,568 U.S. cities to give credit where credit is literally and figuratively due.

Curious to know how your own score compares with that of the average person in your town? Join the WalletHub community to access your free credit score and report, updated daily.

Main Findings

Cities with the Highest & Lowest Credit Scores

Notes:
*No. 1 = Highest
**Best = 99th Percentile

Percentile Ranking by City Size

Note: For readability purposes, the above table displays only 250 of the 2,253 small cities ranked.

Ask the Experts

Improving one’s credit score is a different process for everyone, depending both on circumstances and spending habits. For advice on how to start, we turned to a panel of experts. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

1. What tips do you have for a person trying to increase their credit score quickly?
2. What are some commonly held misconceptions about how credit scores are calculated?
3. What are the most common mistakes people make when trying to improve their credit score?
4. What is the best way for a young person to build credit?
5. What are some strategies for people who are facing financial difficulties to protect their credit scores?

Ask the Experts

Andrew Burnstine
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, College of Business and Management – Lynn University
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Andrea J. S. Stanaland
Ph.D. – Professor of Marketing, Department of Marketing, Davis College of Business and Economics – Radford University
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Vaneesha Dutra
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Finance, School of Business – Howard University
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Joanne Guo
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Business Administration and Marketing – St. Joseph's University, New York
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Karen Ann Craig
Ph.D. – Academic Contract Administrator for Academic Human Resources & Associate Professor of Finance – Eastern Michigan University
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Methodology

In order to identify the cities with the highest and lowest credit scores, WalletHub compared the median credit scores of residents in each of 2,568 U.S. cities as of October 2022, based on TransUnion data. A rank of “1” corresponds with the city with the highest credit score. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case and excluded cities in the surrounding metro area. We categorized each city according to the following population sizes:

• Large cities: More than 300,000 people
• Midsize cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people
• Small cities: Fewer than 100,000 people

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