Good credit is synonymous with opportunity: It allows you greater access to things like apartments, auto loans and mortgages, not to mention more affordable interest rates on credit products. Unfortunately, the majority of U.S. consumers have what's called a subprime credit score, meaning their credit history makes it difficult or impossible to get some services or receive low interest rates on financing.
In fact, only in 13 states do the majority of consumers have near prime, prime or super prime credit, according to TransUnion TransRisk Score data from the third quarter of 2014. The TransRisk Score assesses consumers using a scale of 150 to 934, with anything below 700 considered subprime. Nationwide, 55.6% of consumers had subprime credit in Q3 of 2014, and Mississippi had the most consumers with poor or bad credit: 69.2% fell into the subprime or lower category, according to an illustration from the Assets & Opportunity Scorecard produced by the Corporation for Enterprise Development.
While most states are dominated by subprime borrowers, that's not the case everywhere. Here are the 13 states where consumers with near prime, prime and superprime credit (scores of 700 and above on the 150 to 934 TransRisk Score scale) make up the majority of consumers with credit scores:
13. (tie) Connecticut
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 51.3%
Average credit card debt: $14,147
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 3.25%
New Hampshire
Percentage of consumers with near prime or better credit: 51.3%
Average credit card debt per borrower: $11,269
Percentage of borrowers 90+ days past due on any debt: 2.62%
11. Washington
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 51.5%
Average credit card debt: $11,670
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.52%
10. Wisconsin
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 51.6%
Average credit card debt: $7,420
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.54%
9. Montana
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 52.5%
Average credit card debt: $7,722
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.54%
8. Massachusetts
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 53.2%
Average credit card debt: $12,151
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.69%
7. Hawaii
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 53.6%
Average credit card debt: $12,673
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.4%
6. Nebraska
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 53.7%
Average credit card debt: $6,424
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.26%
5. Iowa
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 53.9%
Average credit card debt: $5,887
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.78%
4. Vermont
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 54.2%
Average credit card debt: $9,822
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.62%
3. South Dakota
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 55%
Average credit card debt: $6,630
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.43%
2. Minnesota
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 57.1%
Average credit card debt: $9,277
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.47%
1. North Dakota
Consumers with near prime or better credit: 57.2%
Average credit card debt: $6,005
Borrowers 90+ days past due: 2.11%
Payment history and debt amount are two of the most influential factors that determine credit scores, which is why we included some related data in these state rankings. Keep in mind that the debt amount factor includes how much of your available credit you use, not just how high your balances are. Even if you have little debt, if you have little available credit on your credit cards, your credit score may suffer. To see how your payment history, debt amount and other behaviors affect your credit standing, you can check out your free credit report summary on Credit.com.
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