A 500 credit score is in the bad credit score range. Your credit score determines whether you qualify for financial products, like credit cards and car loans, and what interest rate you might pay.
In April 2023, about 3% of Americans had a score lower than 500, according to credit scoring company FICO.
Here’s how a 500 credit score can affect your financial life.
When your score is 500, you'll have trouble qualifying for some financial products. You will have to pay the highest rates on loans and credit cards, and you may pay more for car insurance.
Visit your My NerdWallet Settings page to see all the writers you're following. A 500 credit score is in the bad credit score range. Your credit score determines whether you qualify for financial products, like credit cards and car loans, and what interest rate you might pay.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 500 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score. Many lenders choose not to do business with borrowers whose scores fall in the Very Poor range, on grounds they have unfavorable credit.
You can borrow money with a 500 credit score, but don't expect great options. Bad credit personal loans will emphasize your income more than your credit score. Securing a loan with a 500 credit score may be challenging, but that doesn't mean every lending door is closed.
For instance, going from a poor credit score of around 500 to a fair credit score (in the 580-669 range) takes around 12 to 18 months of responsible credit use. Once you've made it to the good credit zone (670-739), don't expect your credit to continue rising as steadily.
The time it takes to raise your credit score from 500 to 700 can vary widely depending on your individual financial situation. On average, it may take anywhere from 12 to 24 months of responsible credit management, including timely payments and reducing debt, to see a significant improvement in your credit score.
Key Takeaways. Personal loans up to $5000 are available online for borrowers with credit scores as low as 500, providing a fast way to access funds. Interest rates are higher for bad credit borrowers, often starting around 35%, but loans come with fixed rates and transparent terms.
Credit scores can drop due to a variety of reasons, including late or missed payments, changes to your credit utilization rate, a change in your credit mix, closing older accounts (which may shorten your length of credit history overall), or applying for new credit accounts.
The best credit card overall is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card because it gives 2% cash rewards on purchases and has a $0 annual fee. For comparison purposes, the average cash rewards card in 2024 gives about 1% back. Cardholders can also earn an initial bonus of $200 cash rewards after spending $500...
Lenders specializing in bad credit score loans may be willing to approve loans up to $50,000. These loans will typically have much higher interest rates and origination fees.
A score of 500 is considered below average for VantageScore and FICO. It can be difficult to be approved for certain types of credit if your credit scores are below average. And if you are approved, you might pay extra fees, face higher interest rates for loans or have to put down a security deposit.
It's exceedingly rare for anyone to have a credit score over 900, as most credit scoring models have a maximum limit of 850, and even achieving that score is uncommon.
The time it takes to raise your credit score from 500 to 700 can vary widely depending on your individual financial situation. On average, it may take anywhere from 12 to 24 months of responsible credit management, including timely payments and reducing debt, to see a significant improvement in your credit score.
Having a 600 credit score places you below the national average and into the “fair credit” category. Subprime is the categorization lenders use to designate the likelihood that a borrower will default on or pay back their loan.
The lowest credit score typically required to buy a house is 500 with an FHA loan, which requires the borrower to make a 10% down payment. For credit scores of 580 or higher, a 3.5% down payment is sufficient. Conventional loans typically require a minimum credit score of around 620.
What is the lowest credit score possible? Generally, credit scores range from 300 to 850, making 300 the lowest possible credit score. But it's important to note that you typically have more than one credit score. And they may differ depending on the credit-scoring company and when they were calculated.
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