The Most Credit-Worthy States in America
A good credit score results from several factors, like timely loan payments, diversity of account types and a long credit history. In turn, high credit scores make it easier to access credit that can further benefit an individual’s credit profile.
Consumers can see how credit-worthy they are by looking at their credit scores and analyzing the different aspects of their credit history. An easy way to do this on an individual basis is to check your credit scores for free using a tool like the Credit Report Card from Credit.com, which also gives you a snapshot of your credit profile so you know which areas of your credit you need to work on. (The tool also shows how your scores compare to other consumers’ scores.)
We recently looked at states with the highest and lowest average credit scores, but we decided to take it a step further and look at states where consumers not only have high credit scores, but also maintain low rates of serious delinquency and have decent access to new credit.
We collected data from the Experian-Oliver Wyman Market Intelligence Reports and Experian’s IntelliView tool, comparing states’ average credit scores, loan originations and 90-day delinquency rates. Weighing each factor equally, we determined the states with the most credit-worthy consumers.
Based on consumer credit information from the second quarter of this year, North Dakota has the most credit-worthy residents. The state has the fourth-highest average VantageScore, a credit scoring model created by the three major credit bureaus, and it also had the lowest 90-day delinquency rate among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The state also reported a high number of new auto loans, home loans and credit card accounts per capita, meaning North Dakotans were able to access new credit relatively easily in the second quarter, in comparison to other states.
The 10 Most Credit-Worthy States
The states on this list are mostly located in the West, Midwest and New England. While the factors were weighted equally, Vermont and North Dakota were in the top 10 of each category. Across the board, each state was in the top 20 for credit scores, loan originations and low delinquency rates.
The VantageScore scale for the model used in these calculations is from 501 to 990. Generally, 900 to 990 is considered excellent, 800 to 899 is good, 700 to 799 is fair, 600 to 699 is poor and 501 to 599 is bad. The nation ranges from 707 to 785, with the average at 748.
The national average for combined 90-day delinquency rates for auto loans, mortgages and credit cards was 0.66% in the second quarter. The average new account per capita was 0.064 nationally.
10. Wyoming
Average VantageScore: 760
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.070
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.52%
8. Tie: Utah and Connecticut
Utah
Average VantageScore: 759
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.071
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.54%
Connecticut
Average VantageScore: 772
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.071
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.69%
7. Nebraska
Average VantageScore: 771
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.066
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.43%
6. Minnesota
Average VantageScore: 785
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.066
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.46%
4. Tie: Massachusetts and Colorado
Massachusetts
Average VantageScore: 773
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.076
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.62%
Colorado
Average VantageScore: 764
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.073
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.48%
3. Vermont
Average VantageScore: 777
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.071
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.52%
2. New Hampshire
Average VantageScore: 775
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.082
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.58%
1. North Dakota
Average VantageScore: 775
Loan Originations Per Capita: 0.070
90-Day Delinquency Rate: 0.34%
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