Credit scores and credit score ranges are crucial to personal finances. A high credit score can help you net approval for financial products, while a low one can result in a denial — or only being granted credit at a high interest rate.
Interestingly, these scores also say a lot about cities’ economic trajectories. Residents’ credit scores are key indicators of their community’s overall financial health (even more so when added to data about the average income).
So, which cities’ credit scores are struggling? LendEdu.com and Experian identified the cities with the lowest credit scores, while Upturn Credit looked at median household income from the United States Census Bureau. (Overall, median household income in the United States was $55,322, according to 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.)
Read on to see the 20 cities with the lowest average credit scores in the United States.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
20. Riverdale, Georgia
- Credit Score: 581
- Percentage below the national average: 14%
- Number of points below the national average: 94
- Median Household Income: $34,713
- Percentage below the national median: 37%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
19. Union City, Georgia
- Credit Score: 578
- Percentage below the national average: 14%
- Number of points below the national average: 97
- Median Household Income: $35,229
- Percentage below the national median: 36%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
18. New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Credit Score: 578
- Percentage below the national average: 14%
- Number of points below the national average: 97
- Median Household Income: $40,428
- Percentage below the national median: 27%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
17. Belle Glade, Florida
- Credit Score: 577
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 98
- Median Household Income: $26,637
- Percentage below the national median: 52%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
16. Orange, New Jersey
- Credit Score: 577
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 98
- Median Household Income: $35,742
- Percentage below the national median: 35%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
15. Gary, Indiana
- Credit Score: 576
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 99
- Median Household Income: $28,895
- Percentage below the national median: 48%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
14. Brooklyn, Maryland
- Credit Score: 576
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 99
- Median Household Income: $38,771
- Percentage below the national median: 30%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
13. Pontiac, Michigan
- Credit Score: 573
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 102
- Median Household Income: $30,152
- Percentage below the national median: 45%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
12. Darby, Pennsylvania
- Credit Score: 573
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 102
- Median Household Income: $34,199
- Percentage below the national median: 38%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
11. Hartford, Connecticut
- Credit Score: 573
- Percentage below the national average: 15%
- Number of points below the national average: 102
- Median Household Income: $32,095
- Percentage below the national median: 42%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
10. Harvey, Illinois
- Credit Score: 566
- Percentage below the national average: 16%
- Number of points below the national average: 109
- Median Household Income: $21,909
- Percentage below the national median: 60%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
9. Irvington, New Jersey
- Credit Score: 566
- Percentage below the national average: 16%
- Number of points below the national average: 109
- Median Household Income: $37,538
- Percentage below the national median: 32%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
8. Detroit, Michigan
- Credit Score: 565
- Percentage below the national average: 16%
- Number of points below the national average: 110
- Median Household Income: $26,249
- Percentage below the national median: 53%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
7. East Orange, New Jersey
- Credit Score: 564
- Percentage below the national average: 16%
- Number of points below the national average: 111
- Median Household Income: $38,403
- Percentage below the national median: 31%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
6. Inkster, Michigan
- Credit Score: 563
- Percentage below the national average: 17%
- Number of points below the national average: 112
- Median Household Income: $31,285
- Percentage below the national median: 43%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
5. Riverdale, Illinois
- Credit Score: 558
- Percentage below the national average: 17%
- Number of points below the national average: 117
- Median Household Income: $31,438
- Percentage below the national median: 43%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
4. Highland Park, Michigan
- Credit Score: 552
- Percentage below the national average: 18%
- Number of points below the national average: 123
- Median Household Income: $17,455
- Percentage below the national median: 68%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
3. Chester, Pennsylvania
- Credit Score: 552
- Percentage below the national average: 18%
- Number of points below the national average: 123
- Median Household Income: $88,995
- Percentage above the national median: 61%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
2. Pinon, Arizona
- Credit Score: 549
- Percentage below the national average: 19%
- Number of points below the national average: 126
- Median Household Income: $36,319
- Percentage below the national median: 34%
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
1. Camden, New Jersey
- Credit Score: 547
- Percentage below the national average: 19%
- Number of points below the national average: 128
- Median Household Income: $63,028
- Percentage above the national median: 14%
You can find the 20 cities with the highest credit scores here.
Want to learn more about credit scores? Here are 25 credit score myths that you need to know about to prevent them from dragging down your scores.
This article originally appeared on UpturnCredit.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
