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618 Credit score: What You Need to Know in 2025
July 1, 2025
TL;DR
A 618 credit score is considered a 'Fair' score on the FICO scale, providing a solid foundation to build upon. While it's below the average, it positions you to take clear, strategic steps toward achieving a higher rating and better financial opportunities.
What Does a 618 Credit Score Mean?
A credit score of 618 falls into the "fair" category on the FICO scale, which ranges from 300 to 850. While not a poor score, it's below the U.S. average and can signal a moderate risk to lenders. This may directly impact your finances, often resulting in higher interest rates on loans and credit cards. You might also find it more challenging to get approved for new lines of credit compared to applicants with higher scores.
The good news is that a 618 score is a solid foundation to build upon. It is not a permanent label, and there's significant potential for improvement. While it won't happen overnight, focusing on your financial health can steadily raise your score, opening the door to more favorable lending terms and greater financial flexibility down the road.
Who Has a 618 Credit Score?
Credit scores generally improve with age. According to Experian data from 2023, the average FICO score breaks down as follows for different generations:
- 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 618 Credit Score
A 618 credit score places you in the "fair" credit range, which can be a mixed bag when applying for credit cards. While you may qualify for some unsecured cards, they will likely come with higher interest rates and lower credit limits than those offered to applicants with good or excellent credit. You might also find more success with secured credit cards, which require a cash deposit but are easier to obtain and can be a great tool for rebuilding your credit.
Kudos offers AI-powered tools that analyze your spending habits to provide hyper-personalized recommendations from a database of nearly 3,000 cards. These tools also offer insights into how applying for a new card may impact your credit score, helping you find the best option for your financial situation.
Auto Loans and a 618 Credit Score
A 618 credit score places you in the non-prime borrower category, meaning you can likely get approved for an auto loan, but with less favorable terms. Lenders will see you as a moderate risk, which typically translates to higher interest rates than those offered to borrowers with stronger credit profiles.
To put this in perspective, here are the average auto loan interest rates for new and used cars across different credit score brackets, based on Q2 2025 data:
- 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 618 Credit Score
A 618 credit score places you just below the typical 620 minimum for a conventional loan, but you still have options. You will likely qualify for an FHA loan, which accepts scores as low as 580 with a 3.5% down payment. According to mortgage requirements, you may also be eligible for a USDA loan, though some lenders require a higher score. A VA loan is less likely, as most lenders prefer a score of at least 620.
Your score will impact your loan terms. Expect to face higher interest rates, potentially increasing what you pay by tens of thousands over the life of the loan. For an FHA loan, you will also have to pay mortgage insurance premiums. Lenders may subject your application to stricter underwriting, requiring more documentation and a closer look at your financial history before granting approval.
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's primarily based on a handful of key financial habits. The most common factors include:
- Your payment history tracks whether you have paid past credit accounts on time.
- Credit utilization is the percentage of your available credit that you are currently using.
- The length of your credit history considers the age of your oldest account and the average age of all your accounts.
- Having a healthy mix of credit types, such as credit cards and installment loans, can positively impact your score.
- Recent credit inquiries and newly opened accounts can temporarily lower your score.
How to Improve Your 618 Credit Score
No matter your current credit score, it's always possible to improve your financial standing with consistent, positive habits. There are several proven methods to help boost your creditworthiness and build a healthier financial profile.
- Monitor your credit reports. A 618 score can be heavily impacted by inaccuracies, so regularly checking your reports for errors and disputing them can provide a significant boost. This also helps you track your progress and watch out for identity theft.
- Reduce your credit utilization ratio. High credit utilization is a common issue for those with fair credit and can drag down a score. Paying down balances to get below the recommended 30% threshold directly addresses the second-most important factor in your credit score calculation.
- Apply for a secured credit card. If you have trouble qualifying for traditional credit cards, a secured card is an excellent tool for building a positive payment history. Since these cards report to the credit bureaus, responsible use can help improve your 618 score and eventually allow you to graduate to an unsecured card.
- Address collection accounts. Subprime credit reports are more likely to have accounts in collections, which act as a major negative mark. Negotiating a settlement or requesting a goodwill deletion can remove this blemish and help your score recover.
Using a tool like the Kudos browser extension can help you maximize rewards and use credit responsibly as you work to improve your score.
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