Best Credit Scores – Top 10 Cities

It’s no secret that your credit score is the lifeblood of financial potential, at least when it comes to borrowing money. And it might not surprise you to learn that credit scores are often reflective of where you live. For instance, communities with high-income, well-educated professionals are more likely to have higher average credit scores than those to the contrary.

Certainly, there’s a lot more that dictates a credit score, and living in the aforementioned areas doesn’t guarantee you’ll have a great score, but we thought it would be fun to take a moment to examine the top 10 cities in America with the best credit scores, according to CBS Money Works:

Top 10 Cities with the Best Credit Scores

10. San Mateo, CA: With a score of 708, this northern California city close to San Francisco meets the “high income” criteria often associated with better credit scores. Credit repair consultants may not have a lot of business out in the Bay area.

9. San Ramon, CA: Another suburban San Francisco city, the average score in San Ramon is a solid 709.

8. Davis, CA: It must be something about California and high credit scores. Davis, a northern California city near Sacramento, has a 710 average credit score.

7. Arlington, VA: With a plethora of federal agencies and big businesses, most residents of Arlington, Virginia are well educated. That helps explain the 714 average credit score.

6. Redmond, WA: Redmond isn’t Silicon Valley, but it is a big tech town with an educated population. Hence its 715 average score.

5. Bellevue, WA: With median home values of over $660,000, this suburb of Seattle requires a good credit score and high income level for home ownership. That’s where the 716 average score comes to play.

4. Sunnyvale, CA: Back to California we go for No. 4 on this list, which has an average credit score of 719. Like others on this list, Sunnyvale is another big tech town with a well-educated population.

3. Cambridge, MA: It’s probably a good bet that the city that plays host to Harvard and MIT would have pretty financially savvy residents. It does – the average credit score is a cool 725.

2. Mountain View, CA: And we’re back in California for the runner-up, as Mountain View clocks in with an average score of a whopping 741. It’s another big tech city, but we’re starting to think there’s something in the water out there in Cali. Either that or people are just really responsible with their finances.

1. Cupertino, CA: We stay in California for the city with the best credit score, as Cupertino takes it with an average 742 mark. Another big tech city, Cupertino is perhaps best known as the home of Apple.

Credit Repair 2016!! – Credit Resolutions

Your credit score is important – it’s time to start treating it like it is. That is, if you haven’t already done so.

Yes, a poor credit score can cost you in higher interest rates – if you even get approved for a loan or mortgage at all. In turn, you can end up paying hundreds, thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of dollars more over the lifetime of a loan than you would if your score was good.

So if you haven’t already put an emphasis on getting – and maintaining – a good or exceptional credit score, why not start now? Here’s a look at some resolutions to help you in 2016:

Check Your Report

Get into the habit of checking your report at least once per year. Why? Because it’s estimated that some 42 million Americans have some sort of inaccuracy on their report. Get the report, look it over and take the necessary steps to dispute any errors on it.

Lower Your Debt-to-Credit Ratio

Say you have one credit card with a $10,000 limit and you’ve racked up $5,000 on it. Your debt-to-credit ratio is at 50 percent – and it’s likely costing you with a higher score. Generally speaking, the higher your debt-to-credit ratio is, the lower your score – and vice versa. For a better credit score, simply work to keep this ratio at or below 30 percent.

Think Twice Before Closing Accounts

Many people think that paying off – and closing accounts – will help their credit score. That’s not necessarily true. While paying off accounts will help your score, keep in mind that the credit bureaus take credit history into consideration as far as your score goes – so it’s important to have it on your record. Closing accounts can actually impact this part of the score. It can also impact the aforementioned debt-to-credit ratio. So instead of focusing on closing accounts, focus more on paying them down – start with the high interest accounts first.

Simplify Things

Pay all of your bills on time. Keep your balances low. Don’t get carried away with applying for new credit.

Simple enough, right? So do it! Set calendar reminders or automatic payments to ensure your bills are being paid in full and on time. Keep your debt-to-credit ratio in check and only apply for credit when you actually need it – not just to get 20 percent off on in-store purchases or for some other promotional offer. Keep it simple and your score will rise to a point where you’ll likely be happy.