Does Utilization Affect Credit Score?

Why Utilization Rate Affects Credit Scores
A high utilization rate is a sign that you may be experiencing financial difficulty and is a strong indicator of lending risk. As a result, high utilization hurts credit scores and can cause lenders to be reluctant to extend additional credit.

Will lowering my credit utilization raise my score?

With FICO scoring models, credit utilization accounts for 30% of your credit score. So, when you lower your credit card utilization, your credit score might increase.

Is it good to have 0 credit utilization?

While a 0% utilization is certainly better than having a high CUR, it's not as good as something in the single digits. Depending on the scoring model used, some experts recommend aiming to keep your credit utilization rate at 10% (or below) as a healthy goal to get the best credit score.

Chloe Bennett

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.