Is 680 a Good Credit Score? What Every Range Means to a Lender

Oct 15, 2026

When you apply for a loan, lenders use your credit score to decide whether to approve you and what interest rate to charge you. Under the FICO model, 680 is a good credit score, falling within the 670 to 739 band.¹ This article explains how 680 compares with other score ranges, what approval odds and rates to expect on a mortgage, auto loan, or personal loan, and how to raise your score.

Where 680 Falls on the Credit Score Scale

A 680 credit score lands in the lower part of the good tier. The standard FICO score ranges break down like this:¹

• Poor: Below 580
• Fair: 580 to 669
• Good: 670 to 739
• Very good: 740 to 799
• Exceptional: 800 and above

FICO describes the good range as near or slightly above the U.S. average,¹ which was 714 in its spring 2026 report.² Keep in mind, however, that you have more than one score. Each bureau holds slightly different data, and VantageScore uses its own credit score tiers, so the number in your banking app may not match the one a lender pulls.

What a 680 Credit Score Means for Each Loan Type

A credit score of 680 is usually high enough for loan approval, whether you're financing a home, a car, or a personal expense. You will likely pay a higher interest rate than borrowers with very good credit, though. Your income, existing debt, and down payment also count since a score is only part of what lenders look for before approving a loan.

The sections below break down the approval requirements and typical rates at a 680 credit score for each loan type.

Mortgage

Every type of mortgage has its own minimum credit score. For a conventional loan, Fannie Mae's minimum is 620 when an underwriter reviews the application by hand.³ For an FHA loan, which is insured by the Federal Housing Administration, you need at least 580 to make the smallest down payment, 3.5%.⁴ A 680 credit score for mortgage approval is above both minimums.

myFICO compared rates on a $250,000, 30-year fixed mortgage using national averages from August 2025.⁴ Borrowers scoring 680 to 699 paid 7.33%. Borrowers scoring 760 or higher paid 6.92%. That difference added about $65 a month, or roughly $23,600 in interest over 30 years.

Auto Loans

Many auto lenders sort borrowers by VantageScore credit tier, where a 661 to 780 credit score counts as "prime." In the second quarter of 2026, prime borrowers averaged 6.15% on new cars and 8.81% on used cars, compared with 4.41% and 6.29% for the top tier.⁶

On a $30,000, 60-month new-car loan, that auto loan rate difference comes to about $24 more per month and about $1,440 more in total interest. For current averages by tier, see our breakdown of auto loan rates.

Personal Loans

Personal loans are usually unsecured, meaning you don't pledge a house or car that the lender could take if you stop paying. Without that protection, lenders rely more heavily on your credit score and income, and each one weighs them differently. That is why the 680 credit score interest rate varies so much from one lender to the next. Some also set their minimum score higher, which narrows your options.

The Gap Between Good and Very Good Credit

What separates good vs. very good credit is mostly how reliably you pay your bills and how much of your credit card limits you use. Those two factors make up about 65% of a FICO score: payment history counts for about 35% and amounts owed for about 30%.⁷

Moving from 680 to 720, therefore, means paying every bill on time and bringing your card balances down. How long that takes varies from person to person. Lower balances can lift a score fairly quickly, while reaching 750 usually takes longer because it depends on a longer record of on-time payments.⁵

What's Likely Holding a 680 Score Back

Every credit file is different, but a few factors commonly keep scores in the good range:

• Credit utilization above the ideal level. myFICO suggests keeping balances below 30% of your limits, and below 10% if possible.⁵
• A shorter credit history or thin file. Length of history is about 15% of a FICO score,⁷ so newer borrowers often level off here. If you're just starting out, read about loans without credit history.
• One or two older derogatory marks. Most negative items, including late payments, can generally be reported for seven years.⁸
• Limited credit mix. Credit mix is about 10% of the score,⁷ and a file with only cards or one loan gives the model less to work with.

Recent applications play a small part, too. For most people, one hard inquiry takes fewer than five points off a FICO score.⁹ It also helps to monitor your credit for errors, and if you find any, here's how to repair your credit.

Improve Your 680 Credit Score With Experian Boost

Improving a credit score from 680 doesn't always require new credit or a long wait. Experian Boost is a free tool that adds bills you already pay to your Experian credit report. These include utility, phone, and streaming bills, plus rent you pay online, which normally don't count toward your credit score. Only on-time payments are added, so a late bill can't lower your score. 

Adding those payments can raise your score, and people who see an increase gain 13 points on average.¹⁰ That increase applies only to your Experian report, though. A lender that checks Equifax or TransUnion instead will see your score without it.

When your lender does check Experian, the increase counts toward the rate you're offered. That is the credit score impact on rates: the higher your score, the less you pay to borrow. Since Boost is free, you can get started with Experian Boost through Lendward at no cost, and a real person on our team will be there if you have questions.

 

Sources:

1. myFICO. (2026, September 9). What is a FICO® Score and why is it important? | myFICO. https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/what-is-a-fico-score 
2. FICO® Score Credit Insights Report: Average FICO Score Dips to 714. (2026, March 24). Fico. https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/fico-score-credit-insights-report-average-fico-score-dips-714 
3. General Requirements for Credit Scores | Fannie Mae. (n.d.). https://selling-guide.fanniemae.com/sel/b3-5.1-01/general-requirements-credit-scores 
4. Loans | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (n.d.). https://www.hud.gov/helping-americans/loans 
5. myFICO. (2025, September 20). How can your credit score affect your mortgage rate? | MyFICO. myFICO. https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/blog/credit-score-mortgage-rates 
6. Luthi, B. (2026, September 10). Average car loan interest rates by credit score. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/average-car-loan-interest-rates-by-credit-score/ 
7. myFICO. (2026b, September 9). What’s in my FICO^® Scores? myFICO. https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/whats-in-your-credit-score 
8. How long does information stay on my credit report? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (2026, September 2). Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-long-does-information-stay-on-my-credit-report-en-323/ 
9. myFICO. (2025b, October 1). Does Checking Your Credit Score Lower it? myFICO. https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-reports/does-checking-credit-score-lower-it 
10. Stefan Lembo Stolba. (2025, July 31). What Is Experian Boost^®? https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-is-experian-boost/