How Many Americans Have a Perfect 850 Credit Score? (CreditVana 2025 Report)
As of March 2025, just 1.76% of U.S. consumers held a perfect FICO® Score of 850, according to Experian data—the highest percentage since 2009.
While reaching an 850 is rare, CreditVana’s analysis shows that consumers with perfect credit share consistent habits: on-time payments, extremely low credit utilization, and a long track record of responsible credit use.
The 2025 Credit Score Landscape
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Average U.S. FICO® Score: 714
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Consumers with 850: 1.76%
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Trend: Higher than any time in the past 15+ years
Those with a perfect score generally carry lower balances than the national average (except mortgages, where balances are similar). They also show zero delinquencies—no late payments on record.
Key Characteristics of Consumers With 850 Scores
| Category | All Consumers | 850 Score Consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Average FICO® Score | 714 | 850 |
| Credit Card Balance | $6,618 | $3,028 |
| Retail Card Balance | $1,180 | $188 |
| Number of Credit Cards | 3.7 | 5.7 |
| Credit Utilization | 28% | 4% |
| Mortgage Balance | $256,803 | $261,476 |
| Non-Mortgage Balance | $21,385 | $16,997 |
| Auto Loan Balance | $24,408 | $20,401 |
| Delinquent Accounts | 1.6 | 0 |
👉 The biggest difference isn’t just debt—it’s how little of their available credit they use and their 100% clean payment history.
Where Perfect Scores Are Most Common
Regional data shows that perfection clusters in the Northeast and West:
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Midwest: 1.83%
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Northeast: 2.01%
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South: 1.33% (lowest)
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West: 2.10% (highest)
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National Average: 1.76%
Top 10 States for 850 Credit Scores
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Minnesota – 2.67% (avg score 742)
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Hawaii – 2.62% (731)
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Virginia – 2.40% (722)
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Maryland – 2.36% (714)
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Wisconsin – 2.35% (738)
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Massachusetts – 2.34% (731)
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Delaware – 2.30% (712)
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Colorado – 2.27% (730)
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Washington – 2.26% (735)
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New Jersey – 2.22% (723)
Notably, Minnesota leads the nation in both average credit score and percentage of consumers with perfect 850s.
Metro Areas With the Most Perfect Credit
Out of 374 metro areas, 102 now have more than 2% of consumers with perfect scores—double the number in 2024.
The new “3% Club” includes Boulder, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, and Oxnard—metros where more than 3% of consumers have a flawless 850.
Do You Really Need a Perfect 850?
The truth: You don’t.
Most lenders offer the same best terms to anyone with a FICO® Score of 800 or higher. Whether you’re at 802 or 850, you’ll likely qualify for the same interest rates and approvals.
Instead of obsessing over 850, aim to adopt the winning habits of perfect scorers:
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Keep credit utilization below 10% (ideally in the single digits).
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Make every payment on time—no exceptions.
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Maintain longstanding accounts to build credit age.
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Mix of accounts (installment + revolving) helps demonstrate reliability.
CreditVana Takeaway
Perfect credit may be rare, but excellent credit is within reach for millions. By following proven habits—and monitoring your scores across Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—you can move into the top tier of borrowers and unlock the best financial opportunities.
With CreditVana, you get:
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Free 3-bureau scores (not just one bureau)
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Monthly updates & alerts to track your progress
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AI-powered insights showing what’s helping or hurting your score
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Credit-builder tools to help you level up—fast
✅ Download CreditVana today and start building your path to 800+ (and maybe even 850).
Do you want me to also create a press release style version of this for CreditVana Money News, highlighting how CreditVana helps more people move toward the “850 club”?