BACK TO COMMUNITY BANK HOME

Credit scores range from 300-850. The higher the score the better. Most people score in the 600s to 700s. Scores above 700 are generally considered very good.

Consumer Federation of America

Know Your Credit Score

There's a number that follows you around that you might not even be aware of. It's your credit score. It affects the rate you pay on credit cards, loans, and mortgages. It may also determine whether you get hired for a job, receive a security clearance, or have a lease application accepted.

Although your credit score is meant to give an accurate picture of your financial fundamentals, there are things you can do to raise your score, as well as things that you should avoid doing that can lower your score. Knowing your credit score and understanding how your behavior affects it is the first step to taking control of your finances.

Given how much our credit score affects the interest rates we pay, and therefore the cost of items that we buy on credit, surprisingly few of us know our credit score. Not only can knowing your credit score help you track how your behavior is affecting your score (and therefore what you pay for credit), but it can alert you to possible mistakes in your credit record and even to when your identity has been stolen.