Credit Scores Grew the Most in These 5 States Over the Past 5 Years

Credit scores across the U.S. have been headed up, but not all states are created equal. In fact, some states are growing at an even faster rate.

GOBankingRates looked at five states where Experian reported credit scores have jumped significantly over the last five years. These increases aren’t just numbers on a page – they reflect real changes in financial health for many Americans.

Here are the five states credit scores grew the most in over the past five years .

Find Out: How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?

Read Next: 9 Easy Ways To Grow Your Wealth in 2024

Protect Your Wealth: The shrewdest ways to safeguard your money.

Georgia

Georgia takes the top spot, with Augusta showing the biggest credit score increase in the entire country. With a 29-point jump since 2019, that’s no small leap.

Augusta’s growing appeal might be driving the change. The city’s been attracting new residents looking for more affordable housing options. With this influx of new residents, the score is growing.

Learn More: What Is the Median Income for the Upper Middle Class in 2024?

Idaho

Idaho is also on the rise. Both Pocatello and Boise have seen their average FICO scores increase by 20 points or more since 2019.

Again, the secret sauce might be the influx of new residents. About 50,000 people have been moving in each year from neighboring Pacific states, according to U.S. Census data. These newcomers aren’t just bringing their love for the outdoors – they’re also packing their excellent credit scores!

South Carolina

South Carolina’s making waves in the credit score world, with Charleston and Myrtle Beach both seeing 20-point jumps since 2019.

The Palmetto State progress is most likely due to the people moving to South Carolina for its jobs – not to mention its beaches and barbecue.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s joining the credit score party, with Wilmington seeing a 20-point climb since 2019.

Wilmington’s got that perfect mix of beach-town appeal and growing job opportunities. It’s pulling in young professionals and retirees alike, all bringing their good credit scores along with them.

Missouri

Joplin, Missouri, might be a surprise on this list, but it’s earned its spot with a 20-point increase since 2019.

While we don’t have specific data on why, it’s likely following the trend we’ve seen in our other high performers. New residents — moving for jobs or a lower cost of living — is likely the reason for the jump.

The Final Word

What’s to be learned about why certain states are seeing credit score jumps? Well, there are a few theories, including lower scores to start out with (leaving much room for improvement), cities attracting new residents and the fact that many metro areas are seeing rising credit scores in general.

Of course, these trends are interesting to observe, but what matters is your personal credit score. Focus on keeping that up with on-time payments and low utilization and you’ll be sitting pretty no matter what state you’re living in.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : Credit Scores Grew the Most in These 5 States Over the Past 5 Years