The average U.S. FICO score fell to 714 in April 2025, down from 715 in October 2024, driven by renewed student loan delinquency reporting and rising mortgage delinquencies.
Despite the dip, 48.1% of Americans now have FICO scores of 750 or higher-a hallmark of the K-shaped economy, where some thrive while others struggle.
Gen Z (18-29) saw their FICO scores drop by at least 50 points, with 14.4% scoring below 600-up from 11.3% in October 2024. The decline is linked to ongoing student loan repayment challenges.
Yet Gen Z leads in traditional credit card adoption, with 77% considering interest rates when applying for cards. Nearly one in four Americans skipped a payment in the past year due to affordability issues.
More than 111 million Americans carry over $1 trillion in revolving credit card debt monthly, according to Protect Borrowers and The Century Foundation.
Student loan delinquency reports rose sharply after resumption in late 2024, dragging average scores down 62 points on average since January 2025. However, the rate of increase slowed to just 0.1% from April to October 2025.
Mortgage delinquencies are climbing toward pre-pandemic levels, buffered by home equity gains. But with housing prices moderating post-2022 highs, that cushion is fading.
FICO warns of persistent education gaps: two-thirds of Americans misunderstand how income affects credit, overlooking that behavioral changes-not income-drive score improvements.