Tampa Bay Area Credit Scores: Which Towns Have the Highest?

Credit scores might seem like arbitrary three-digit numbers, but they can mean the difference between getting a loan for that new car or having to buy running shoes instead.

Those three digits tell lenders a lot about applicants and their ability to manage debts and pay off obligations. The higher the number, the more likely a person is to secure a loan with a fair interest rate. The lower the number, the higher the chance of having to hoof it becomes.

While credit scores are assigned to individuals, Wallet Hub wanted to find out how residents of different cities across the country happen to be at managing their cash. To that end, its analysts compared average credit scores of resident in 2,570 cities across America.

As it turned out, a Florida town got first-place honors for exceptional money management. The average credit score in The Villages is 779.51, according to WalletHub. Sun City West in Arizona came in second with an average score of 758.08. And, not to be left out, Tampa Bay’s Sun City Center pulled off fifth-place honors with its average score of 753.05.

See Also:

• BBB Offers 6 Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

Base FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850 with the higher number considered the best. Here’s how other Tampa Bay area towns stacked up, according to WalletHub:

• Tampa – Its national rank was 1,993 with an average credit score of 647.66
• Temple Terrace – This city came in 1,246th place with an average score of 673.38
• Brandon – The average score here was 659.67, earning it 1,649th-place standings
• Plant City – With an average score of 643.45, the city earned 2,108th-place standings
• Clearwater – The city tied for 1,383rd place with an average score of 668.74
• St. Petersburg – With an average credit score of 660.07, the city tied for 1,633rd place
• Largo – It earned 1,355th-place honors with a credit score of 670.04
• Palm Harbor – It earned 482nd-place honors with an average score of 703.89
• Dunedin – with its average score of 695.67, the town earned 674th-place honors
• Tarpon Springs – Its 686.58 average score earned it 891st ranking
• Sarasota – Ranked at 874, the city’s average score was 687.15
• Bradenton – Ranked in 1,399th place, the average score was 668.16
• New Port Richey – The city tied for 1,383rd place with a score of 668.74
• Lutz – Ranked 808, the average score was 689.82

Camden, N.J., scored the lowest of the 2,570 cities in the analysis with a credit score of 565.62.

Check out the full report on WalletHub.

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