# I have my credit score number, how good is that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365 "2005-03-07T15:08:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/1 "2005-03-07T15:08:18Z")
I’m sure this has been touched on before, but after searching through 50 old threads, I’m just posting. I know my current credit score. It’s pretty high, I am pleased. But how good is good? I understand that each lender evaluates the score on their own criteria, but is there any objective measure of how good my score is? Are they arranged normally (if so, what’s mean and variance)? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/2 "2005-03-07T15:32:44Z")
[This page](http://www.myfico.com/CreditEducation/?fire=1) has more than you ever wanted to know about FICO scores. It’s important to note that the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) usually have different overlapping sets of information about you, and therefore your credit score may vary significantly between credit bureaus. It doesn’t hurt to get a regular copy of your credit report from each bureau every year or so. (In the past five years, I’ve discovered two accounts on my report that were not mine. There’s a _lot_ of incorrect data floating around out there.) [sub] Disclaimer: I work for a subsidiary of Experian which has nothing to do with the credit industry. [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/3 "2005-03-07T15:35:40Z")
Unfortunately, that site doesn’t answer the question, I’ve been there already. Given that I have score x from bureau y, how can I understand where that ranks? What is the distribution of the scores. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/4 "2005-03-07T15:48:17Z")
If you e-mail it to me, I’ll let you know. In general It breaks down something like this Max 850 High \>700 Ok \>650 Low\>540 Poor\<540 Min 300 This pdf talks about FICO scores and how they are calculated and interpretted. [http://www.myfico.com/Offers/myFICO\_UYCS%20booklet.pdf](http://www.myfico.com/Offers/myFICO_UYCS%20booklet.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/5 "2005-03-07T15:55:06Z")
Here is a statistical breakdown of credit scores: > [@](#): > > ``` > * 20 percent below 620 > > * 20 percent between 620 and 690 > > * 20 percent between 690 and 745 > > * 20 percent between 745 and 780 > > * 20 percent above 780 > > ``` > **[Best credit cards for good credit of October 2021](https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/good-credit/?thisponsor=score)** > > If your credit score is between 670-739, you can qualify for most credit cards. We’ve compiled the best credit cards for good credit of 2021. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/6 "2005-03-07T17:29:36Z")
Thank you Gfactor! That’s exactly what I was looking for. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/7 "2005-03-07T17:39:53Z")
[Here’s another breakdown of FICO scores.](http://www.myfico.com/CreditEducation/CreditScores.aspx?fire=5) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/8 "2005-03-07T17:49:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > [Here’s another breakdown of FICO scores.](http://www.myfico.com/CreditEducation/CreditScores.aspx?fire=5) Dang. I was trying to find that one. But I kept getting interrupted by work. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/9 "2005-03-07T18:17:25Z")
As long as we’re on the topic of credit reports, here’s the [site](https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp) for requesting free annual copies of your credit reports from the three bureaus. Check your state to be sure the rollout of the program includes it (the Midwest became eligible March 1). I don’t know if these reports include the FICO scores but even without the scores it’s good information. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/10 "2005-03-07T18:32:22Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > As long as we’re on the topic of credit reports, here’s the [site](https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp) for requesting free annual copies of your credit reports from the three bureaus. Check your state to be sure the rollout of the program includes it (the Midwest became eligible March 1). I don’t know if these reports include the FICO scores but even without the scores it’s good information. I believe they come with scores. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/11 "2005-03-07T18:46:08Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > I believe they come with scores. Last week’s Sun-Times said they didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-my-credit-score-number-how-good-is-that/293365/12 "2005-03-07T18:49:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Last week’s Sun-Times said they didn’t. Turns out I’m full of crap. How can I get my credit score? You can purchase a credit score by contacting one of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. Equifax - [www.equifax.com](http://www.equifax.com) Experian - [www.experian.com](http://www.experian.com) TransUnion - [www.transunion.com](http://www.transunion.com) **You can also purchase a credit score when you request your free annual credit report through this website.** [https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq](https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq)