Figure C1. Average credit scores
Credit scores are designed to predict potential credit default, but are often used as an indicator of overall financial health.
Notes: There are many different types of credit scores. We use a generic VantageScore® (version 4.0) provided by the credit bureau. The range is 300-850 (the same as FICO®), with five scoring buckets roughly defined as follows: deep subprime (300-580), subprime (580-619), near-prime (620-659), prime (660-719), and super-prime (720-850). Includes only consumers with an open balance greater than $0.
Figure C2. Credit-card utilization
Are consumers maxing out their credit cards? This chart shows how much available credit is being utilized by consumers. This is one of the most important components that goes into credit scores.
Notes: Only credit cards (including retail cards) are included in this chart, not other types of revolving credit such as home equity lines of credit. We calculate each consumer’s credit utilization rate by dividing their aggregate balance of credit cards that are open and that have a positive credit limit by their aggregate credit limit for credit cards that are in an open status. The numerator is an aggregate of said credit card utilization rates. The denominator (hover over a point for the n value) includes only consumers that have at least one open credit card with a positive credit limit.