Here's the Average Credit Score of 70-Year-Old Americans (How Do You Compare?)

When you turn 70, the focus typically shifts from building wealth to managing it carefully. At this point, most workers are retired and concerned with making their retirement savings last as long as possible. Even so, one financial metric you still want to pay attention to is your credit score. Even after you quit working, credit can still impact borrowing costs, insurance pricing, and your ability to make the right moves with your retirement capital.

Luckily, at this age, many retirees have a strong credit score. Here's how the average 70-year-old compares and what the score says about financial health in retirement.

Editor's note: All credit scores are taken from Experian's current data, unless otherwise stated.

The average credit score for a 70-year-old

According to Experian data, the average credit score for a 70-year-old American is 746. For context, the national average FICO score sits around 714 as of early 2026. That puts the typical 70-year-old more than 30 points ahead of the overall U.S. average.

A score of 746 places 70-year-olds in the "very good" range. Often, lenders reserve their most competitive rates for borrowers in this range, although specific requirements vary depending on the lender and loan type.

Why credit scores often peak in retirement

Credit scores reward consistency. By age 70, retirees have had decades to build up their credit, and this factor shows in their scores.

A retiree who opened a credit card in the 1980s and has never missed a payment has built something younger borrowers simply haven't had enough time to create. Every year of responsible credit use adds another layer to that history.

Plus, many people in retirement have fewer financial obligations than they had earlier in life. The mortgage may be paid off, and car loans may be gone. Many are done with student loans, as well. All of those factors can help cores get pushed higher.

That said, if a retiree pays off all their loans and stops using credit cards entirely, their credit file can eventually become "inactive." If a scoring model hasn't seen any activity for six months, it might not generate a score at all.

How 70-year-olds compare with other generations

Generally, credit scores rise as people age. For instance, the average score of someone in Gen Z is 678, while the average score for a Millennial is 689. Scores keep rising slowly all the way until retirement, when they reach an average of 746. Older retirees may even have a score closer to 760.

Simply put, this clear pattern shows that building excellent credit takes time.

Why credit still matters after retirement

Even if retirees aren't planning on borrowing money, a strong credit score can still be beneficial.

For instance, a major home repair could require financing. Vehicle replacements may be needed regularly. Some retirees open new credit cards to earn travel rewards or take advantage of promotional financing offers.

Strong credit makes it easier to qualify for favorable loans when they're needed, even if you don't plan for them.

A strong credit score gives retirees some extra flexibility, which can be useful on a fixed income. Once you're living on Social Security, pension income, withdrawals from retirement accounts, or some combination of the three, recovering from an expensive mistake can become more difficult.

Habits that can hurt your credit score

While many retirees do have strong credit scores, this isn't a guarantee.

One crucial concern at age 70 is credit utilization. The more of your open credit that's used, the lower your score falls. If a large expense arises, balances can stay high for a while, pushing credit scores lower.

Another common mistake is closing long-standing credit card accounts to simplify finances. While the intention is understandable, closing older accounts may reduce available credit and, over time, shorten the average account age, both of which can affect credit scores. It's often best to leave accounts open and unused.

Co-signing with adult children or grandchildren can also create credit score problems. If the primary borrower misses payments or accumulates large balances, the impact could appear on the retiree's credit report.

How retirees can protect a strong credit score

Maintaining a strong credit score in retirement relies on a few simple habits:

• Keep older accounts open: If an older credit card has no annual fee, keep it active with occasional small purchases to preserve a long credit history.
• Watch credit utilization: Many experts recommend keeping balances far below available credit limits.
• Review credit report annually: Keeping an eye on your credit report may help identify theft and fraud before they become more serious.
• Continue making payments on time: Payment history remains the single largest factor in most credit scoring models. Even one missed payment can have a big impact.

Bottom line

The average 70-year-old has a credit score of around 746, which is well above the national average. Credit scores tend to rise as age increases, largely due to decades of on-time payments and long credit histories. While many retirees aren't actively borrowing money, maintaining a strong credit score can still be useful.

A strong credit score can also make it easier to pass financial screenings for things like apartments and utility services. That may be important should a move, downsizing decision, or another major life change come along. Protecting your credit is one more way to save money in retirement and keep your options open.

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