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    Credit Scores

    How Credit Scores Are Calculated

    5 min read · Educational Reference · Last reviewed 2026-05-31

    Quick Answer

    FICO scores combine five factors - payment history (~35%), amounts owed (~30%), length of history (~15%), new credit (~10%), and credit mix (~10%).

    Key Takeaways

    • Payment history and utilization together drive most of the score.
    • Weights are approximate, not exact.
    • Different models weight factors slightly differently.

    The Big Two

    Payment history and utilization together account for roughly two-thirds of the FICO score - making them the highest-leverage areas to focus on.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Are these weights exact?

    No - FICO has stated the weights are typical for the general population and can vary at the individual level.