What is the minimum credit score to buy a house?

The minimum depends on the loan type. Conventional loans typically require a 620 minimum. FHA loans allow scores as low as 580 with 3.5% down, or 500 with 10% down. VA and USDA loans have no official minimum but most lenders require 620+. A higher score always qualifies you for better rates.

How much does my credit score affect my mortgage rate?

Significantly. On a $300,000 mortgage, the difference between a 640 and 760 credit score can be 1-1.5% in interest rate. At current rates, that translates to $150-200 more per month and over $50,000 in additional interest over 30 years. Improving your score before applying is often worth delaying the purchase by 6-12 months.

Home BuyingApril 13, 20267 min read

What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a House in 2026?

Last verified May 3, 2026 · Methodology

The minimum score to qualify is lower than most people think. The score to get the best rate is higher. Here is what the numbers actually mean for your mortgage.

Minimum Credit Score by Loan Type

Loan Type	Min Score	Notes
Conventional	620	Best rates start at 740+. Below 680, expect higher PMI costs.
FHA	580	With 3.5% down. Score of 500-579 requires 10% down. MIP for life if under 10% down.
VA	No official min	Most lenders require 620+. No PMI required. For eligible veterans and service members.
USDA	640	For eligible rural areas. Income limits apply. No down payment required.
Jumbo	700-720	For loans above conforming limits ($766,550 in most areas). Stricter requirements throughout.

How Your Score Affects Your Rate

Meeting the minimum FICO score qualifies you for the loan. But there is a wide range between qualifying and getting the best available rate. Lenders use score tiers to price risk, and the difference between tiers is significant.

Credit Score	Est. Rate (30yr)	Monthly Payment*	Total Interest*
760-850	6.37%	$1,873	$374,000
720-759	6.59%	$1,912	$388,000
700-719	6.81%	$1,952	$402,000
680-699	6.99%	$1,985	$414,000
660-679	7.21%	$2,026	$430,000
620-659	7.83%	$2,138	$470,000

*Based on $300,000 loan. Rates are approximate and vary by lender, location, and market conditions.

The spread between a 620 and 760 score on a $300,000 loan is $265/month and $96,000 in total interest. Improving your score from 660 to 760 before applying is often worth delaying a purchase by 6-12 months.

What Makes Up Your Credit Score

FICO scores are calculated from five factors. Understanding the weight of each tells you where to focus:

Payment history (35%): On-time vs late payments. The single largest factor. Even one 30-day late payment can drop your score 60-110 points.
Credit utilization (30%): How much of your available credit you are using. Keeping utilization below 30% is good; below 10% is ideal for maximizing your score.
Length of credit history (15%): Average age of accounts. Do not close old cards before applying for a mortgage.
Credit mix (10%): Having both revolving credit (cards) and installment loans (auto, student) helps slightly.
New credit (10%): Recent hard inquiries. Avoid opening new credit accounts in the 6-12 months before applying for a mortgage.

How to Improve Your Score Before Buying

If you are 6-18 months from buying, these actions have the most impact:

Pay every bill on time. Set up autopay for minimums on all accounts. One late payment undoes months of progress.
Pay down credit card balances. Get utilization below 30% on every card, then aim for below 10% on the card with the highest utilization. This can raise scores 20-50 points within a month or two.
Do not close old accounts. Closing a card reduces your total available credit and increases utilization. It also shortens your average account age.
Do not apply for new credit. Each hard inquiry drops your score 2-5 points and signals credit-seeking behavior to mortgage lenders.
Dispute errors on your credit report. Pull your reports from all three bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) at AnnualCreditReport.com. Errors affect roughly 34% of reports. Disputing and removing an error can have a significant positive effect.
Become an authorized user. If a family member has an old account with a long, clean history and low utilization, being added as an authorized user can improve your score by 10-30 points.

How Long It Takes to Improve Your Score

Results depend on what is holding your score down:

High utilization: Pay down balances and your score can improve within 30-60 days (one billing cycle).
Recent late payments: The impact fades over 12-24 months. You cannot remove accurate late payments, but time reduces their effect.
Collections or charge-offs: These stay on your report for 7 years but have less impact after 2-3 years. Paying them off does not remove them but prevents further damage.
Thin credit history: Building history takes 12-24 months of consistent on-time payments.

See what you can afford

Once you know your credit score range, use the Home Affordability Calculator to estimate your buying power at different rate tiers.

Open Home Affordability Calculator

Bottom Line

You can technically qualify for a mortgage with a score as low as 580 (FHA) or 620 (conventional). But qualifying is different from getting a good rate. A score below 680 adds thousands of dollars per year in interest costs.

If your score is below 700 and you have 6-18 months before you want to buy, improving it is almost always worth the wait. Pay down card balances, make every payment on time, and do not open new credit. The interest savings over a 30-year loan will far exceed any rent you pay during the improvement period. If you are an eligible veteran, a VA loan has no set minimum score and requires no PMI or down payment.

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