{
  "id": 3562471,
  "title": "FICO credit scores are holding up, but consumers are under pressure",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/fico-credit-scores-are-holding-up-but-consumers-are-under-pressure",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-25T20:57:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/banking/article/fico-credit-scores-are-holding-up-but-consumers-are-under-pressure-205705068.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The average U.S. FICO credit score has remained stable at 714, according to a new FICO® Score Credit Insights report, despite pressure on consumers' financial decisions due to rising costs. The report highlights how affordability issues, particularly for lower-scoring and thin-file borrowers, are affecting household budgets.\n\nMortgage balances for borrowers with scores below 620 have increased by 43% since April 2019, while auto loan balances for the lowest-scoring borrowers rose 36% in the same period. Delinquency rates for mortgages and autos have improved or remained flat across all score ranges.\n\nSenior director at FICO, Tommy Lee, attributes the stability in the national average FICO score to financial discipline rather than economic ease. Delinquency has remained stable or improved across most products. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's quarterly report on household debt and credit showed a 1.7% increase in credit card balances to $1.26 trillion, nearing last year's high.\n\nConsumers are employing strategies like using buy now, pay later services and relying on others for financial support. However, nearly three-quarters of Americans still check their FICO scores multiple times a year. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are actively managing their credit as a tool rather than something happening to them. About 74% of Gen Z consumers rely on some form of financial support, often from parents.\n\nTo maintain a healthy credit score, experts recommend making payments on time, reducing credit utilization by making extra payments, and limiting new credit applications. A good credit score, between 670 and 739, is considered favorable by most creditors.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}