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585 Credit score: What You Need to Know in 2025
July 1, 2025
TL;DR
While a 585 credit score indicates there's room for growth, it's a manageable starting point for enhancing your financial profile. This score places you in the 'fair' credit category, which is a crucial first step toward accessing more favorable financial products.
What Does a 585 Credit Score Mean?
A credit score of 585 falls into the "fair" range on the FICO scale, which runs from 300 to 850. Lenders often consider this score to be subprime, meaning you may face hurdles when applying for new credit. If approved for a loan or credit card, you'll likely encounter higher interest rates and less favorable terms, increasing the overall cost of borrowing.
However, a 585 score is not a permanent label. It's simply a snapshot of your credit history at one point in time, and it can certainly be improved. Think of it as a foundation from which you can build a stronger financial future, eventually unlocking better rates and more favorable lending options.
Who Has a 585 Credit Score?
While age isn't a direct factor in calculating your credit score, there's a clear trend: scores tend to improve over time. According to a study of average credit scores by generation, older consumers generally have higher scores, largely due to longer credit histories and more established payment records. Here’s how the average FICO score breaks down by age group based on 2023 data from Experian:
- Generation Z (ages 18-26): 680
- Millennials (ages 27-42): 690
- Generation X (ages 43-58): 709
- Baby Boomers (ages 59-77): 745
- Silent Generation (ages 78+): 760
Credit Cards With a 585 Credit Score
A credit score of 585 falls into the "fair" credit range, which can make qualifying for a traditional credit card a bit of a hurdle. Lenders generally see scores in this range as higher risk, meaning you may face rejections from mainstream card issuers. Your most likely approvals will be for secured credit cards or unsecured cards specifically designed for people looking to build or rebuild their credit.
Kudos offers AI-powered tools like the Explore Tool to provide personalized credit card recommendations based on your unique financial profile. By analyzing your preferences through a quiz or your actual spending habits, Kudos matches you with the most suitable options from its database of nearly 3,000 cards, ensuring you find a card that fits your needs.
Auto Loans and a 585 Credit Score
A 585 credit score places you in the subprime lending category, which can make securing an auto loan more challenging. Based on a 2025 market analysis, you should anticipate significantly higher interest rates than borrowers with stronger credit profiles.
- Super-prime (781-850): 5.25% for new cars, 7.13% for used cars
- Prime (661-780): 6.87% for new cars, 9.36% for used cars
- Non-prime (601-660): 9.83% for new cars, 13.92% for used cars
- Subprime (501-600): 13.18% for new cars, 18.86% for used cars
- Deep subprime (300-500): 15.77% for new cars, 21.55% for used cars
Mortgages at a 585 Credit Score
A 585 credit score is below the typical 620 minimum for conventional loans, but you still have options. Your most accessible path is an FHA loan, which allows scores of 580 and up with a 3.5% down payment. While some lenders might consider VA or USDA loans on a case-by-case basis, an FHA mortgage is the most probable approval for your score.
This score signals higher risk to lenders, leading to less favorable terms. You can expect a higher interest rate than applicants with better credit. You will also face extra costs, like the mortgage insurance required for FHA loans, and will likely undergo stricter financial review during the underwriting process.
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 history of making payments on time is the most significant factor.
- How much of your available credit you're currently using, known as your credit utilization ratio, plays a major role.
- The age of your credit accounts, including the average age and the age of your oldest account, is also considered.
- Lenders like to see that you can responsibly manage different types of credit, such as credit cards and loans.
- Opening several new credit accounts in a short period can be seen as a risk and may temporarily lower your score.
How to Improve Your 585 Credit Score
No matter your current standing, improving your credit score is always possible with time and consistent effort. A 585 score is not a permanent label, and taking the right steps can help you build a healthier credit profile.
- Monitor your credit reports. Regularly checking your reports helps you find and dispute inaccuracies or signs of identity theft that could be unfairly lowering your score. Correcting even one error can be a crucial step in rebuilding from a 585 score.
- Set up automatic bill payments. Your payment history is the single most important factor in your credit score, so ensuring you pay on time, every time, is essential. Automating payments prevents missed deadlines and establishes the positive history needed to raise a poor score.
- Reduce your credit utilization. Lenders look at how much of your available credit you're using, and keeping this ratio below 30% can significantly help your score. For someone with a 585 score and likely lower credit limits, paying down balances is a powerful way to show responsible credit management.
- Apply for a secured credit card. If you're struggling to get approved for traditional credit, a secured card is an excellent tool for building a positive payment history. Because it requires a cash deposit, it's more accessible for those with poor credit and reports your activity to the credit bureaus just like a standard card.
The Kudos browser extension can also provide personalized card recommendations to support your credit-building journey.
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