Who Has a 488 Credit Score?

Credit scores generally improve with age as people have more time to build a positive financial history. According to 2023 Experian data, here is the average FICO score breakdown by generation:

• Generation Z (ages 18-26): 680 (Good)
• Millennials (ages 27-42): 690 (Good)
• Generation X (ages 43-58): 709 (Good)
• Baby Boomers (ages 59-77): 745 (Good)
• Silent Generation (ages 78+): 760 (Very Good)

Credit Cards With a 488 Credit Score

A credit score of 488 falls into the 'poor' credit range, which can significantly hinder your ability to get approved for a new credit card. Most lenders will view an applicant with this score as high-risk, making it difficult to qualify for traditional, unsecured credit cards. Consequently, you may face rejections or be limited to specific types of cards designed for building credit.

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Kudos offers tools like the Explore Tool, which uses a quiz to understand your financial needs and preferences to suggest suitable cards. For a more in-depth analysis, the Dream Wallet feature analyzes your spending to provide insights on how different cards might impact your credit score.

Auto Loans and a 488 Credit Score

A 488 credit score places you in the deep subprime category, which can make securing an auto loan challenging. Lenders will likely view you as a high-risk borrower, resulting in significantly higher interest rates and less favorable loan terms.

Here are the average auto loan interest rates by credit score, based on Experian’s Q2 2025 data:

• Super-prime (781-850): 5.25% for new cars and 7.13% for used cars
• Prime (661-780): 6.87% for new cars and 9.36% for used cars
• Non-prime (601-660): 9.83% for new cars and 13.92% for used cars
• Subprime (501-600): 13.18% for new cars and 18.86% for used cars
• Deep subprime (300-500): 15.77% for new cars and 21.55% for used cars

Mortgages at a 488 Credit Score

A 488 credit score makes qualifying for a mortgage very challenging. Your main option is likely an FHA loan, which can approve scores as low as 500. Because your score is below 580, you must provide a minimum 10% down payment. Most conventional, VA, and USDA lenders will not approve a loan for a score this low.

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Your score also leads to less favorable loan terms. Expect significantly higher interest rates, adding thousands to your loan's total cost over its lifetime. Lenders will also apply stricter conditions, review your finances more closely, and may limit how much you can borrow, according to mortgage requirements.

What's in a Credit Score?

Figuring out what goes into your credit score can feel like trying to solve a complex puzzle, but it generally boils down to a handful of key elements. The most common factors include:

• Your payment history, which tracks whether you pay your bills on time, is the most significant factor.
• Credit utilization, or the amount of credit you're using compared to your total available credit, also plays a major role.
• The length of your credit history demonstrates your experience with managing credit over time.
• Having a healthy mix of different types of credit, such as credit cards and installment loans, can positively impact your score.
• Finally, recent credit inquiries, which occur when you apply for new credit, are also taken into account.

How to Improve Your 488 Credit Score

Improving your credit score is a marathon, not a sprint, but with consistent effort, it is entirely possible to raise your score using several proven methods. Starting with a few key actions can build the foundation for better financial health.

• Establish automatic bill payments. Since payment history is the largest factor in your credit score, setting up automatic payments ensures you never miss a due date. This is a critical first step to establishing a positive track record and beginning to rebuild your score.
• Apply for a secured credit card. A secured card requires a cash deposit as collateral, making it easier to get approved with a low score. Using it responsibly and making on-time payments helps you build or rebuild a positive credit history that gets reported to the credit bureaus.
• Become an authorized user. You can ask a family member or friend with a strong credit history to add you as an authorized user on one of their credit cards. This allows their positive payment history and low credit utilization to appear on your credit report, which can help improve your score.
• Monitor your credit reports. You can get free credit reports to check for any errors or inaccuracies that might be dragging your score down. Disputing and removing incorrect negative items is one of the fastest ways to see an improvement.

Kudos can serve as your financial companion to help you manage your credit cards and monitor your score as you work to improve it.