Tag: state of credit

State of Credit 2021: Rise in Scores Despite Pandemic Challenges

Consumers continue to manage credit well and the average credit score climbed seven points since 2020 to 695, the highest point in more than 13 years.

September 7, 2021 by Stefani Wendel
State of Credit 2020: Consumer Credit During COVID-19

Experian released the 11th annual state of credit report, which provides a comprehensive look at the credit performance of consumers across America.

October 20, 2020 by Stefani Wendel
State of Credit 2019: Rounding Out the Decade

As look forward to the next decade, things are looking up. The 10th annual State of Credit Report highlights consumer credit scores and borrowing behavior.

December 19, 2019 by Stefani Wendel
State of Credit: 10 Year Lookback

Experian's annual State of Credit Report includes consumer credit data trends and a 10 year look back to when America started to enter the recession.

May 20, 2019 by Stefani Wendel
An Economic Look at the State of Credit

In 2017, a meaningful jump in consumer sentiment bolstered spending, and caused the spread between disposable personal income and consumer spending to reach an all-time high. This increase in spread was mostly financed through consumer debt, which according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has brought total consumer debt to a new peak of $12.8 Trillion surpassing the prior peak in 2008. The Experian eighth annual State of Credit report greatly supported the consumer behavior trends observed for the past year. Spanning the generations  It is no surprise that generation Z (the “Great Recession Generation”) is conservative and prudent in their approach to credit because they are the most familiar with the post financial crisis economy. Results showed Millennials experienced a drop in overall debt, and an increase in mortgage debt reflects the national homeownership affordability challenge facing this generation. As first time homebuyers, millennials have to relatively tighten their spending as they dedicate an ever-growing portion of their income to housing. On the other end of the spectrum, the results of the study showed that Baby Boomers’ had sizable debt (including mortgage debt), which reflects the generation’s intent to stay active in their communities and in their homes much longer than prior generations have done. A recent Harvard study reported that by 2035, one out of three American households will be headed by an individual 65 years of age or older, compared to current ratio of one out of five households. What’s on the horizon? It is reasonable to assume that these trends may continue into 2018, as the underlying conditions continue to persist. A closer eye should be kept on student and auto loans due to the significant increase in portfolio size and increasing default rates compare to other debt.   Editor’s note: This post was written by Fadel N. Lawandy, Director of the C. Larry Hoag Center for Real Estate and Finance and the Janes Financial Center at the George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman University. Fadel joined the George L. Argyors School of Business and Economics, Chapman University after retiring as a Portfolio Manager from Morgan Stanly Smith Barney in 2009. He has two decades of experience in the financial industry with banking, credit management, commercial/residential real estate acquisition and financing, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, quantitative and qualitative analysis and research, and portfolio management. Fadel currently serves as the Chairman of the Board and President of CFA Society Orange County, and is an active member of the CFA Institute.

March 7, 2018 by Guest Contributor
New study shows U.S. consumers in a state of good health

Experian’s 8th annual State of Credit report reveals the nation’s average credit score is up two points year-over-year to 675.

January 10, 2018 by Guest Contributor
The State of Credit Unions in 2017

Experian took a deep dive into the data and performance surrounding the credit union universe in their first-ever “State of Credit Unions” report, featuring insights utilizing data from both 2015 and 2017.

June 8, 2017 by Kerry Rivera
3 financial services trends for 2017

2017 is expected to bring some big changes. But what do those changes mean for the financial services space? Here are 3 trends and twists Experian expects to occur over the next 12 months:

January 25, 2017 by Guest Contributor
How consumer credit scores fared across the country in 2016

Which part of the country has bragging rights when it comes to sporting the best consumer credit scores? Drum roll please … Honors go to the Midwest. In fact, eight of the 10 cities with the highest consumer credit scores heralded from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mankato, Minn., earned the highest ranking with an average credit score of 708 and Greenwood, Miss., placed last with an average credit score of 622. Even better news is that the nation’s average credit score is up four points; 669 to 673 from last year and is only six points away from the 2007 average of 679, which is a promising sign as the economy continues to rebound. Experian’s annual study ranks American cities by credit score and reveals which cities are the best and worst at managing their credit, along with a glimpse at how the nation and each generation is faring. “All credit indicators suggest consumers are not as ‘credit stressed’ — credit card balances and average debt are up while utilization rates remained consistent at 30 percent,” said Michele Raneri, vice president of analytics and new business development at Experian. As for the generational victors, the Silents have an average 730, Boomers come in with 700, Gen X with 655 and Gen Y with 634. We’re also starting to see Gen Z emerge for the first time in the credit ranks with an average score of 631. Couple this news with other favorable economic indicators and it appears the country is humming along in a positive direction. The stock market reached record highs post-election. Bankcard originations and balances continue to grow, dominated by the prime borrower. And the housing market is healthy with boomerang borrowers re-emerging. An estimated 2.5 million Americans will see a foreclosure fall of their credit report between June 2016 and June 2017, creating a new pool of potential buyers with improved credit profiles. More than 12 percent who foreclosed back in the Great Recession have already boomeranged to become homeowners again, while 29 percent who experienced a short sale during that same time have also recently taken on a mortgage. “We are seeing the positive effects of economic recovery with the rise in income and low unemployment reflected in how Americans are managing their credit,” said Raneri. Which means all is good in the world of credit. Of course there is always room for improvement, but this year’s 7th annual state of credit reveals there is much to be thankful for in 2016.

December 1, 2016 by Kerry Rivera
Why financial health matters

Financial health open doors for people, creating opportunities for credit, cars, homes and stability. So how can you get "healthy?"

June 29, 2016 by Kerry Rivera
Every month should focus on financial education

April is Financial Literacy Month, a special window of time dedicated to educating Americans about money management. But as stats and studies reveal, financial education is always needed.

April 1, 2016 by Kerry Rivera
The current state of credit

Experian® recently released the 2015 State of Credit report, which analyzes key credit metrics across the nation.

December 3, 2015 by Guest Contributor
New Study Reveals U.S. in Positive State (of Credit)

Hello from the other side ... While Adele scores big on the Billboard Hot 100 by crooning of coming to terms with a lover from the past, a new Experian “State of Credit” reveals we are officially on the “other side” of the recession – at least if you’re looking at the nation’s credit scores. While the bottom of the Great Recession was reached in the second quarter of 2009, steady job growth was not seen until 2011, and even since, some economists claim it has been a "Tortoise Recovery.” But key findings from Experian’s 6th annual study, ranking top and bottom cities across the nation in regards to credit, suggests the U.S. is strong. “If I were to give a grade to the overall picture of credit in the United States, I would give it an A minus,” said Michele Raneri, Experian’s vice president of analytics and new business development. “I’m optimistic about the state of credit as we are seeing more loans being extended, late payments are decreasing and consumers are continuing to gain more confidence in originating loans. There definitely is growth and momentum — we’re back to prerecession levels in nearly every category, which means lenders are in a prime position to capitalize on this market and foster business growth.” Which states topped the credit charts? As in previous years, Minnesota continues to shine with three of its cities — Mankato, Rochester and Minneapolis — leading with credit scores of 706, 705 and 704, respectively. Greenwood, Miss. and Albany, Ga. ranked the lowest with scores of 612 and 622. While still at the bottom of the list with a score of 612, Greenwood, Miss., residents did improve their score by three points, more than any other city in the bottom 10. Overall, the report reveals the national credit score increased by three points over the last year (and by five points since 2013) and the 10 cities with the highest credit scores in the nation increased their scores by an average of 1.8 points. Additionally, bankcards, retail cards and mortgage lending showed significant growth, making this year’s study an indicator of the nation’s confidence in the credit market. Just in time for the election year, this year’s study includes insight into how residents of these top and bottom metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) identify politically. The study found that half of the highest-scoring cities have residents whose views skew more middle of the road, while residents of lower-scoring cities are more likely to lean conservative. The full lists of the top 10 and bottom 10 cities are featured (scores are rounded to the nearest whole number). Detailed study highlights include the following changes over the last year: The national VantageScore® credit score is up by three points, from 666 to 669. Bankcard lending continues to increase, with new bankcards up 7.7 percent. The average number of bankcards per consumer is up 2.8 percent to 2.24 cards. Retail card lending also is on the rise, with a 10.8 percent increase in new originations. The average number of retail cards per consumer is up 0.3 percent to 1.55 cards from last year and up by 7 percent since 2013. Instances of late payments (includes bankcard and retail) decreased by 4.4 percent over the last year and by 17.3 percent since the height of the recession in 2010. Average debt2 is up 2.1 percent to $29,093 per consumer. Mortgage originations increased by 42.5 percent. For a more complete look at the above cities as well as the other MSAs studied, visit http://www.livecreditsmart.com to view a fully interactive map and infographic. Purchase The Experian Market Intelligence Brief, a quarterly report that includes more than 70 charts and data trends on loan originations, outstanding loans and delinquency performance metrics spanning three years.

November 30, 2015 by Kerry Rivera

Experian's most recent State of Credit report analyzed the average credit scores for more than 100 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).

December 19, 2014 by Guest Contributor

In Experian's recent State of Credit study which analyzes credit scores in more than 100 cities, Minneapolis took the number one spot, with an average VantageScore® credit score of 787. The Midwest dominated the top 10 spots in the rankings and Wisconsin consumers continue to demonstrate their credit savvy, with four of the state's metropolitan areas making the top 10 list for the second year in a row. Top 10 highest average credit scores by city VantageScore® credit score rank City State Average VantageScore® credit score 1 Minneapolis MN 787 2 Madison WI 786 3 Wausau WI 785 4 Sioux Falls SD 784 5 Cedar Rapids IA 783 6 San Francisco CA 783 7 Green Bay WI 781 8 La Crosse WI 779 9 Boston MA 778 10 Duluth MN 777   View an interactive map and read the complete results of the State of Credit 2012 study. Source: Experian's State of Credit 2012 study VantageScore® is owned by VantageScore Solutions, LLC.

October 1, 2012 by admin

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