A new report from credit score provider Credit Sesame on average credit scores across the U.S. by ZIP codes shows Baton Rouge is home to one of the lowest average scores of any major American city.
At 531, Baton Rouge’s average credit score is well below the U.S. average of 625, according to the report, which analyzes VantageScore credit ratings. That makes Baton Rouge tied with Memphis in the report for the lowest average score among major cities. Others on the bottom end of the list are Omaha, Nebraska, at 532; Detroit, 535; and Las Vegas, 536.
VantageScore is a credit rating product from the Equifax, Experian and TransUnion credit bureaus that identifies creditworthiness on a scoring scale between 300 and 850. It is a different scoring model than the FICO credit report. Credit Sesame says a VantageScore of 625 translates to a 650 FICO score.
Cities with the highest average score in the report are located on the west and east coasts, including a number of Silicon Valley communities. Mountain View, California, has the highest score, at 748, followed by nearby Sunnyvale, 730. Seattle’s score averages 719 and New York City has an average of 720.
Credit Sesame analyzed roughly 2.5 million of its 7 million members’ credit information at the end of 2015 to compile the report. Among other findings:
- More than half of Americans are using 70% or more of their maximum credit
- Homeowners have higher average credit scores than renters, 661 compared to 583
- Some of the lowest average credit scores are in ZIP codes where median household income is less than half the national average and where more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line
