In this article:
- 23% of US Consumers Have Exceptional Credit
- 800+ Credit Scores Much More Common Than in 2016
- Nearly Half of Consumers With 800+ FICO Scores Are Baby Boomers
- The Road to an Exceptional FICO Score: Lower Credit Usage, More On-Time Payments
- Exceptional Credit More Common in Northern States
- Metros Where Exceptional Credit is More Commonplace
Nearly a quarter of U.S. consumers (22.9%) have a FICO® Score☉ Θ of 800 or higher as of June 2026, according to Experian data. It's a continuing trend of consumers becoming better educated about their credit during this era of increased access to debt products and other financial tools that's defining the 21st century U.S. economy.
As part of our review of consumer credit and debt among U.S. consumers, Experian looked at traits of those who had exceptional (800-plus) FICO® Scores in 2025. There's no big secret to attaining an exceptional FICO® Score, and in this report we'll go over what it looks like in practice.
23% of US Consumers Have Exceptional Credit
While the average FICO® Score in the U.S. is currently 713, which lies firmly in the good FICO® Scores range of 670 to 739, half of consumers have significantly higher scores. Not only do 27% of consumers with very good FICO® Scores in June 2026, nearly the same percentage of consumers (23%) have an "exceptional" FICO® Score of 800 or greater. Zooming in even further on that top bracket, 1.71% of consumers have a "perfect" FICO® Score of 850.
| Range | Percentage of Consumers |
|---|---|
| Poor (300-579) | 14.9% |
| Fair (580-669) | 15.1% |
| Good (670-739) | 19.8% |
| Very good (740-799) | 27.4% |
| Exceptional (800-850) | 22.9% |
Source: Experian data as of June 2026
The 23% of consumers with a FICO® Score of 800 or higher is a continuation of a longer-term trend of credit scores improving over time. Just as the average FICO® Score has increased from 690 in 2009 to 713 in 2026, the share of consumers with exceptional credit also increased.
Percentage of Consumers with Exceptional FICO® Scores (800-850), 2009-2026
To review: There are five factors that build a consumer's FICO® Score:
- Payment history (35%): This is the most influential part of your FICO® Score. Regularly making payments on time is key to building good credit scores, while even a single late payment can do serious damage.
- Amounts owed (30%): This looks at how much credit you're using—both installment loans and revolving accounts like credit cards. High revolving account balances relative to your limits—anything above 30% of the total credit available—can drag your scores down.
- Length of credit history (15%): Credit scoring models consider how long your credit accounts have been active—especially the oldest, the newest and the average age of your accounts. Generally, the longer your credit history, the more your credit scores can improve.
- Credit mix (10%): This reflects the variety of credit types under your name, such as credit cards, auto loans or mortgages. Successfully managing different forms of credit can have a positive effect on FICO® Score calculations.
- Applying for new credit (10%): Applying for credit typically results in a hard inquiry that can temporarily lower your scores.
As we'll show, although length of credit history may not represent as much of a consumer's FICO® Score as, say, making on-time payments, a lengthy credit history appears to be key if one is striving to reach an 800-plus FICO® Score.
800+ Credit Scores Much More Common Than in 2016
Over the past decade, the percentage of consumers with 800 or better FICO® Scores has soared by 3.4 percentage points, from 19.5% of consumers having one in 2016 to nearly 23% today.
And the improvement is broadly enjoyed across the 50 states: Every state saw an improvement of at least a full percentage point over the past 10 years.
Change in Share of Consumers with Exceptional Credit Scores by State Since 2016, Percentage Points
The biggest jumps were in Western states, including Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah and California, where the percentage with exceptional credit scores jumped by at least 5 percentage points.
Nearly Half of Consumers With 800+ FICO® Scores Are Baby Boomers
Length of credit history shouldn't be ignored as a factor in contributing to a better FICO® Score. Alas, it's the only factor largely out of a consumer's control once their credit history begins.
Exceptional (800+) FICO® Scores by Generation
While only 1 in 25 GenZers (under the age of 30 in 2026) have a 800-plus FICO® Score, the likelihood of stellar credit increases with each preceding generation. Case in point, 1 in 6 millennials have exceptional credit; as do 1 in 4 Generation Xers and more than 1 in 3 baby boomers.
| Generation | Average FICO® Score | Percentage with 800+ FICO® Score |
|---|---|---|
| Generation Z | 678 | 4.3% |
| Millennials | 690 | 17.1% |
| Generation X | 710 | 24.3% |
| Baby Boomers | 747 | 36.4% |
| Silent Generation | 760 | 37.1% |
Source: Experian data from June 2026
Learn more: How to Improve Your Credit Score Fast
The Road to an Exceptional FICO® Score: Lower Credit Usage, More On-Time Payments
The differences between credit characteristics of an average FICO® Score of 713 and one of 800 or higher may not appear to be that meaningful, especially when comparing the average balances carried for many types of consumer loans.
The characteristics of those with exceptional FICO® Scores don't simply show a string of super low account balances compared to the national average. Although consumers with FICO® Scores of 800 or higher clearly use less of their available credit card limits, credit card balances are only slightly lower than the all-consumer average. Auto loan and mortgage balances are also remarkably similar for the two groups.
| Average … | Average for All Consumers | Average for Consumers With Exceptional (800-850) FICO® Scores |
|---|---|---|
| FICO® Score | 713 | 823 |
| Number of credit cards | 3.7 | 4.6 |
| Credit card balance | $6,775 | $4,270 |
| Auto loan balance | $25,208 | $23,646 |
| Mortgage balance | $264,594 | $276,616 |
| Non-mortgage balance | $21,717 | $17,371 |
| Credit utilization ratio | 29% | 7% |
| Total tradelines ever delinquent | 1.63 | 0.01 |
Source: Experian data as of June 2026
What's more telling are the differences in behavior, as expressed by how many accounts borrowers have been at least 30 days late to pay and in how much credit exceptional borrowers are using. While consumers overall tend to have a late payment or two on a credit card, auto loan or other consumer loan in their credit history, those with 800 or higher FICO® Scores have virtually none.
Meanwhile, whereas consumers on average use a little less than 30% of their available credit, those with FICO® Scores of 800-plus use far, far less of it—only 7% in 2026, similar to prior years. This indicates those with exceptional FICO® Scores likely have higher credit limits that mitigate the impact of these credit card balances on their credit scores by lowering credit utilization.
What else does 110 points above the national average FICO® Score of 713 get exceptional borrowers? Generally, lower borrowing rates. In 2026, the median APR for personal loan offers extended to consumers with good FICO® Scores was 19%, versus offers of 13% to consumers with exceptional credit (800 to 850) for the same loan.
Exceptional Credit More Common in Northern States
Although we don't suspect a causal relationship between FICO® Scores and proximity to the North Pole, it's difficult to ignore that more northerly states appear to have more consumers with an 800-plus FICO® Score in 2026, despite the evidence that older Americans (who tend to have higher credit scores) are migrating to Southern states in recent decades.
Percentage of Consumers With Exceptional Credit by State, 2026
The evidence is clear, however: Nearly all Northern states have a higher percentage of 800-plus FICO® Scores, well above the national average of 23%. Conversely, Southern states have fewer with exceptional FICO® Scores; most have exceptional credit rates under 20%.
States With Highest and Lowest Percentage of 800+ FICO® Score Consumers
- Highest Percentage
- Lowest Percentage
| Rank | State | Percentage of Consumers with FICO® Score 800-850 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 32.2% |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 31.3% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 29.3% |
| 4 | Vermont | 29.1% |
| 5 | Washington | 28.0% |
| Rank | State | Percentage of Consumers with FICO® Score 800-850 |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | Mississippi | 13.7% |
| 49 | Louisiana | 16.4% |
| 48 | Texas | 16.9% |
| 47 | Oklahoma | 17.1% |
| 46 | Alabama | 17.3% |
Source: Experian data as of June 2026
Metros Where Exceptional Credit is More Commonplace
Naturally, cities within states with higher rates of exceptional credit will likely also be where the percentage of 800-plus scores are as common, if not more than, the state rate.
Percentage of Consumers with 800+ FICO® Score, 50 Largest Metros
Among the 50 largest metros, Minneapolis has the highest rates of consumers with exceptional credit, just as Minnesota is the state with the greatest number of high-scoring consumers. (As an aside: While Madison, Wisconsin, is slightly too small to make the list of of the largest 50 U.S. metros, it has an even higher rate of exceptional credit scores than Minneapolis.)
The entire top-50 metro list, sorted by percentage of exceptional FICO® Scores, is below.
Largest 50 U.S. Metros: Percentage of Consumers with 800+ FICO® Scores, Average FICO® Score
| Metro | Percent of Consumers with 800+ FICO® Score | Average FICO® Score |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 33.2% | 742 |
| San Francisco | 31.1% | 743 |
| San Jose, California | 30.5% | 747 |
| Milwaukee | 30.1% | 729 |
| Portland, Oregon | 29.4% | 735 |
| Seattle | 29.3% | 739 |
| Pittsburgh | 28.6% | 726 |
| Denver | 28.2% | 728 |
| Boston | 28.2% | 735 |
| Hartford, Connecticut | 27.4% | 725 |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | 27% | 724 |
| Washington, D.C. | 26.9% | 726 |
| Buffalo, New York | 26.9% | 723 |
| St. Louis | 26.6% | 719 |
| Sacramento, California | 26.4% | 726 |
| Cleveland | 26.2% | 715 |
| Cincinnati | 25.9% | 717 |
| San Diego | 25.8% | 728 |
| Kansas City, Missouri | 25.4% | 717 |
| Chicago | 25.4% | 720 |
| Philadelphia | 25.4% | 716 |
| Baltimore | 25.1% | 713 |
| Providence, Rhode Island | 25.1% | 719 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 24.9% | 716 |
| Salt Lake City | 24.8% | 723 |
| Richmond, Virginia | 24.3% | 712 |
| Detroit | 24.2% | 712 |
| Austin, Texas | 23% | 716 |
| Indianapolis | 23% | 710 |
| New York City | 22.7% | 720 |
| Phoenix, Arizona | 22.4% | 709 |
| Los Angeles | 22.3% | 719 |
| Louisville, Kentucky | 22.2% | 708 |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | 22.1% | 707 |
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | 21.9% | 704 |
| Nashville, Tennessee | 21.9% | 715 |
| Jacksonville, Florida | 21.1% | 701 |
| Tampa, Florida | 21% | 705 |
| Atlanta | 19.8% | 696 |
| Oklahoma City | 18.7% | 698 |
| Dallas | 18.6% | 698 |
| Orlando, Florida | 18.5% | 697 |
| Birmingham, Alabama | 18.4% | 693 |
| Las Vegas | 18.4% | 694 |
| New Orleans | 18.3% | 691 |
| Riverside, California | 18.1% | 700 |
| Houston | 16.9% | 692 |
| San Antonio | 16.8% | 689 |
| Miami | 16.7% | 699 |
| Memphis, Tennessee | 15.1% | 675 |
Source: Experian data as of June 2026
Exceptional Credit Can Help You Secure Lower Borrowing Costs
Consumers with exceptional credit are generally more likely to be approved for most types of credit and often qualify for lower interest rates than other borrowers. You can check your credit scores for free with Experian to see where you stand. However, even an exceptional FICO® Score doesn't guarantee approval for credit cards and loans if other lending requirements aren't met. Lenders still closely evaluate a borrower's income and overall financial profile to ensure borrowers can manage monthly costs.