FICO's latest report highlights improving delinquency trends, strong consumer credit engagement and evolving borrowing patterns amid ongoing affordability challenges

BOZEMAN, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 2026-- FICO (NYSE:FICO), global analytics software leader, today released its Fall ’26 edition of the FICO® Score Credit Insights report, showing the average U.S. FICO® Score held steady at 714, unchanged since October 2025 but down one point from a year ago, as student loan delinquency reporting matures and improving delinquency rates across every major loan type offset ongoing affordability pressure.

With FICO® Scores used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, the findings from the bi-annual FICO® Score Credit Insights report offer critical observations insight into where consumer credit health is holding firm, where affordability pressure is concentrated, and how lenders can identify responsible growth opportunities across an increasingly segmented credit landscape.

"Affordability is the defining story in our latest edition of the FICO Score Credit Insights report," said Ethan Dornhelm, head of scores analytics at FICO. "Costs have risen across nearly every credit product consumers use, and yet delinquency has improved or held steady across every major loan type. The stability of the national average FICO Score at 714 reflects the resilience many consumers continue to demonstrate. At the same time, the data shows that resilience isn't being tested equally, with lower-scoring and thin-file borrowers facing the greatest pressure.”

Key findings from the FICO® Score Credit Insights fall 2026 report:

• Average FICO® Score holds at 714: The national average FICO® Score was flat from October 2025 to April 2026, down one point year-over-year. That stability carries echoes of the K-shaped economy we reported in previous reports.
• Delinquencies stable or improving across most products: Early-stage mortgage delinquency eased from 1.42% to 1.35% year-over-year, and auto 30-day delinquency improved five basis points to 2.6%. Bankcard and personal loan delinquency were largely unchanged.
• Mortgage affordability pressures persist: The average monthly payment for a first-time homebuyer reached $2,563, a 57% increase since 2019 that has outpaced inflation since rates began climbing in 2022.
• Younger generations continue to build credit strength: Gen Z and Millennials have posted the largest FICO® Score gains since before the pandemic — up 17 and 10 points, respectively — continuing a multi-year trend of building credit history and habits.
• Pressure concentrated among lower-scoring borrowers: Mortgage balances for borrowers with FICO® Scores below 620 have grown 43% since April 2019, and auto loan balances for the lowest-scoring borrowers are up 36% — both outpacing the 30% inflation rate over the same period while higher-scoring borrowers tracked closer to it. That cost pressure is showing up in performance: subsequent 90-day-plus delinquency rates for both mortgage and auto rose exclusively in the lowest score bands, holding flat across every higher score range.
• Student loan borrowers show diverging paths: Approximately 3.2 million consumers with a payment due had a recent student-loan delinquency and experienced an average 38-point year-over-year decline in their FICO® Score, while consistent payers gained 6 points and those without recent delinquency gained 16 points.

Consumers remain engaged with their credit, but knowledge gaps persist

New consumer research conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of FICO for the Fall ’26 edition of the FICO® Score Credit Insights report shows Americans remain highly engaged in managing their credit, with 84% saying maintaining or enhancing their credit score is a priority for 2027 and 89% have taken at least one step in the past year to improve their financial health, most commonly checking their credit score (56%, up from 49% in 2024). Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans check their score multiple times a year or more often. Despite the engagement, knowledge gaps and credit myths persist as more than 1 in 4 (27%) believe checking your credit score lowers it, and nearly two-thirds (65%) either incorrectly believe income factors into a credit score or are unsure.

Affordability challenges are also showing up in consumer credit behavior, as one in five Americans (20%) say they made less than the minimum payment or skipped a payment on a credit card or loan in the past year. Those pressures are also driving alternative financial behaviors. The data show that roughly 2 in 5 Americans (41%) currently use Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, with nearly a third of those users (30%) utilizing them more than a year ago. Usage is most prominent among Gen Z (ages 18-29) and Millennials (ages 30-45), as they are about twice as likely as Gen X (ages 46-61) and Baby Boomers (ages 62-80) to use BNPL services (66% and 57% vs. 32% and 16%). Financial flexibility during tight budget periods (36%), convenience (35%), and preserving cash for other expenses (32%) are top reasons why BNPL users utilize these services. That same financial reality extends beyond credit products as more than a third of Americans (37%) say they rely on others for ongoing financial support, most commonly their parents (19%), underscoring how interconnected financial stability and credit health are for younger generations.

“Consumers are more engaged with their credit than ever, but engagement alone doesn’t guarantee understanding,” said Jenelle Dito, vice president of consumer empowerment programs and partnerships at FICO. “At FICO, we're committed to helping consumers turn that engagement into informed action. Simple actions such as paying on time and keeping balances low are two of the most powerful things anyone can do to strengthen their FICO Score. The data shows Americans are motivated. Pairing that motivation with the right knowledge puts consumers in better control of their financial health.”

The full FICO® Score Credit Insights report is available here: https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/annual-report/fico-score-credit-insights-fall-2026-edition

FICO is committed to empowering consumers with credit education and resources, as well as banks, fintechs, and credit risk leaders with powerful, interactive tools to explore new strategies for expanding access to credit. To learn more, check out FICO’s Score A Better Future^® initiative and the FICO^® Score Credit Insights Lab.

For consumers looking to stay on top of their credit health, myFICO provides a trusted, free way to check and monitor their FICO Score. For more information, visit myFICO.com.

Survey Method

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of FICO from July 20-22, 2026 among 2,078 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact press@FICO.com.

About FICO

FICO (NYSE:FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 U.S. and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the U.S. and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

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Source: FICO