What is the average credit score for someone in their 20s in Australia?

Australians in their 20s typically have lower average credit scores than older age bands for two structural reasons. First, credit files tend to be 'thin' â€” fewer accounts means less data for the bureau's scoring model to work with. Second, this age band sees higher rates of student debt, first-time credit cards, mobile phone plans, and BNPL accounts â€” every new account creates a hard enquiry that temporarily reduces the score. Typical 18-24 average is approximately 620 (Equifax Average band); typical 25-29 average is approximately 660 (Equifax Good band entry). Both ranges are normal for the life-stage and not necessarily a sign of poor credit management.

What is the average credit score for a 30 year old in Australia?

Australians aged 30 typically have an Equifax credit score in the 670-690 range â€” at or slightly above the start of the 'Good' band (661+). By this age band most consumers have at least 5 years of credit history, multiple account types, and have moved past first-job credit-stress events. Defaults from earlier years that have aged past the 5-year retention period also start dropping off the file. Score growth from age 30 to 40 averages 30-50 points across the population â€” primarily driven by file maturity rather than active management.

What is the average credit score for a 40 year old in Australia?

Australians aged 40 typically have an Equifax credit score in the 700-720 range â€” within the 'Good' band (661-734). This age band benefits from longer credit history, established mortgages or auto loans demonstrating long-term repayment discipline, and lower likelihood of recent multiple credit applications. The shift from 'Good' to 'Very Good' band (735+) is the most common credit score milestone between ages 40 and 50. A 40-year-old with a sub-660 score almost certainly has a removable listing on their file dragging the score below population average.

What is the average credit score for a 50 year old in Australia?

Australians aged 50 typically have an Equifax credit score in the 720-740 range â€” at the top of the 'Good' band or entry to 'Very Good' (735+). At this age band, most consumers have 20+ years of credit history, including a mortgage or completed mortgage, and limited recent credit applications. Income tends to peak in the 45-55 age band which supports lower utilisation rates. A 50-year-old with a score under 660 typically has either an unresolved default from a major life event (divorce, job loss, illness) or a listing that should have aged off but is incorrectly still showing.

What is the average credit score for a 60 year old in Australia?

Australians aged 60 typically have an Equifax credit score in the 740-760 range â€” within the 'Very Good' band (735-852). This is the highest-scoring active credit-using age band on average. Long credit history, established mortgages often partially or fully paid off, low credit utilisation, and few recent applications all contribute. Lower scores in this age band are often the result of life events that disrupted credit in the 40s and 50s (business failures, divorces, medical hardships) â€” many of which create defaults that have now passed the 5-year retention period and should be off the file but sometimes are not.

Why do younger Australians have lower credit scores on average?

Three structural reasons, not character. (1) Thin credit files â€” younger consumers simply have less data for bureaus to assess. Equifax's scoring model penalises files with limited history. (2) Higher rate of credit applications â€” first credit card, first car loan, first phone plan, BNPL accounts, study loans all create hard enquiries in the early-20s years. (3) Higher rate of small defaults from telco moves, share-house bill disputes, and BNPL missed payments. None of these reflect poor character â€” they are normal life-stage events. As the file matures and old enquiries age off (5 years), scores naturally improve even without active management.

Does my age directly affect my credit score in Australia?

Not directly. Australian credit bureaus do not use age as a scoring input â€” this would be illegal under anti-discrimination provisions. What does affect the score is the length of your credit history, which correlates strongly with age. A 25-year-old with 7 years of credit history (started building credit at 18) can have a higher score than a 50-year-old who only opened their first credit account at 45. The bureaus reward file maturity, not chronological age.

How do I improve my credit score regardless of my age?

Four levers that work at any age. (1) Remove incorrectly listed defaults, judgements or serious credit infringements under the Privacy Act 1988 â€” single biggest score lever available to a consumer, typically 100-300 point lift in 30-90 days. (2) Pay every credit account in full and on time every month â€” comprehensive credit reporting captures 24 months of repayment history. (3) Keep credit utilisation under 30% of any account limit. (4) Avoid multiple credit applications in short windows (more than 3-4 in 6 months reduces the score). Free credit assessment to identify any removable listings: australiancreditsolutions.com.au.

Is the average credit score in Australia higher than in the United States?

The scales are not directly comparable so a meaningful answer requires normalisation. The Australian Equifax 0-1200 scale and the US FICO 300-850 scale use different formulas, different data inputs, and different band structures. The Australian average sits at approximately 700 on the 0-1200 Equifax scale (58% of maximum), while the US FICO average sits at approximately 716 on the 300-850 scale (76% of the band above the 300 floor). Both populations score in the lower portion of their 'Good' band on average. What is comparable: removing a negative listing produces similar percentage score lifts in both markets.

Does having a mortgage improve my credit score in Australia?

Yes â€” over time. A mortgage adds account-mix diversity (most consumers do not have multiple account types beyond credit cards and personal loans), demonstrates long-term repayment commitment, and reports 24 months of perfect on-time payments visibly on your credit file under Comprehensive Credit Reporting. The initial mortgage application creates a hard enquiry that temporarily reduces the score, but the long-term effect of perfect repayment is materially positive. This is one of the structural reasons why average scores rise through the 35-55 age band â€” that is when most Australians take on and pay down mortgages.

What is a good credit score for my age group in Australia?

Practical age-adjusted benchmarks on the Equifax 0-1200 scale. Under 25: 660+ is strong (mainstream lending access). 25-34: 700+ is strong. 35-44: 730+ is strong. 45-54: 750+ is strong. 55-64: 770+ is strong. 65+: 790+ is strong. Anything in the 'Excellent' band (853+) is exceptional at any age. If your score is below the band-typical average for your age, the cause is usually one of two things â€” a removable negative listing on your file, or a short/thin credit history that will improve naturally over time.

Can a single default affect my credit score the same way regardless of my age?

Yes â€” the score impact of a default is largely age-independent. An unpaid default of $1,000+ typically drops an Equifax score by 100-200 points regardless of whether the person is 25 or 55. What varies by age is the recovery profile: older consumers with longer clean credit history tend to recover faster once the default is removed because the rest of the file is strong. Younger consumers with thin files take longer to recover because they have less positive history to lean on. Removing the default first is the same first step at any age.

How do credit scores compare by Australian state?

State variation in average credit scores is real but smaller than age variation. Approximate 2026 state averages (Equifax): ACT and NSW lead at approximately 710-720; Victoria approximately 700-710; QLD, WA, and SA approximately 690-705; NT and TAS approximately 680-695. Differences correlate with median household income, age demographics, and concentration of high-income industries. State-level differences should not affect individual credit decisions â€” lenders assess your specific file, not your state.

Can credit repair help my score reach the age-band average?

Yes â€” when the cause of your below-average score is a removable listing on your file. Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003) removes incorrectly listed defaults, court judgements, and credit enquiries under the Privacy Act 1988 â€” typically lifting Equifax scores by 100-300 points in 30-90 days on accepted cases. A 32-year-old with a 540 Equifax score and a single removable telco default often moves to 720-740 after removal â€” well above the typical age-band average. Credit repair cannot improve a score that is already at or above the age-band average through normal credit usage, but it dramatically improves scores depressed by removable negative listings.

Average Credit Score by Age in Australia (2026)

Published: May 25, 2026Updated: May 25, 20268 min read

Quick Answer

Australian Equifax credit scores trend upward with age as credit history lengthens. Typical 2026 averages by age band: 18-24: ~620 Â· 25-34: ~670 Â· 35-44: ~700 Â· 45-54: ~720 Â· 55-64: ~740 Â· 65+: ~760. National average across all ages: approximately 700 on the Equifax 0-1200 scale. If your score sits more than 40 points below your age-band benchmark, there is almost certainly a removable listing on your credit file. Australian Credit Solutions (ACL 532003) removes defaults in 30-90 days, typical lift 100-300 points. Free assessment: australiancreditsolutions.com.au.

The 2026 Age-Band Benchmark â€” Equifax 0-1200 Scale

Australian credit scores increase with age on average. The trend is structural: credit files get longer, old enquiries age off, and major life events (defaults from share-house bills, BNPL missed payments, telco moves) fade past the 5-year Privacy Act retention window. Here is the full age-band benchmark for 2026:

Age Band	Typical Equifax Average	Equifax Band	Common Pattern
18 â€“ 24	~620	Average (460-660)	Thin files, first credit card, BNPL accounts, phone plans
25 â€“ 34	~670	Good (661-734)	First mortgages, car loans, file maturity building
35 â€“ 44	~700	Good (661-734)	National average band â€” established mortgage repayment history
45 â€“ 54	~720	Good (661-734)	Long credit history, peak income, lower utilisation
55 â€“ 64	~740	Very Good (735-852)	Mortgages paid down, low utilisation, few applications
65+	~760	Very Good (735-852)	Highest-scoring active credit-using age band

These figures are approximate market benchmarks. Individual scores vary widely based on payment history, defaults, credit mix, and major events.

What Drives the Score Increase With Age?

Four structural factors push the average score up as Aussies get older:

File maturity. Equifax's scoring model rewards length of credit history. A 10-year-old credit account beats a 1-year-old one for score purposes.
Old enquiries age off. Hard credit enquiries stay on your file for 5 years. By the time you are 45, the credit card application you made at 35 is no longer reducing your score.
Defaults age past the 5-year retention window. A default from age 25 disappears at age 30 under the Privacy Act 1988 5-year retention rule. Serious credit infringements drop off at 7 years.
Lower credit utilisation. Income peaks in the 45-55 band; credit card balances trend down as a percentage of income.

Score Below Your Age-Band Benchmark?

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What to Do If Your Score Sits Below the Age-Band Average

If your Equifax score is more than 40 points below your age-band benchmark above, the most likely cause is one of two things:

A removable negative listing on your credit file. Unpaid defaults, court judgements, or serious credit infringements â€” recorded in breach of the Privacy Act 1988 â€” are the single largest score-suppressors. Removable in 30-90 days through professional credit repair. Typical lift 100-300 points.
Multiple recent hard credit enquiries. More than 3-4 in 6 months signals credit stress and reduces the score. Some enquiries can be removed if listed in breach of the Credit Reporting Code.

Both are addressable. Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003) is lawyer-led by Principal Solicitor Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB, 98% success on accepted cases, No Win No Fee on the success-fee component. Free 60-second assessment identifies which path applies to your file.

Why Younger Aussies Are Not Automatically "Bad With Money"

The 18-24 average of ~620 (Equifax Average band) sounds low but reflects life-stage realities, not character. Thin credit files score lower because the bureau model has less data to work with. First-time credit applications create enquiries that knock the score down 5-15 points each. BNPL accounts (Afterpay, Zip, Klarna) now report under Comprehensive Credit Reporting â€” perfect repayment helps but missed payments hurt disproportionately on a thin file.

For Australians under 25 with a score in the Below Average or Average band: the score will typically improve organically over the next 5-10 years if no new defaults are added. The single biggest accelerator is removing any incorrectly-listed defaults from telco moves or BNPL missed-payment events that should not technically be on the file. See Building Credit From Scratch â€” Young Adults & New Migrants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Australian credit scores trend upward with age as credit history lengthens and major negative events age off the file. Typical Equifax averages by age band as at 2026: 18-24 approximately 620 (Average band), 25-34 approximately 670 (Good band), 35-44 approximately 700 (Good band), 45-54 approximately 720 (Good band), 55-64 approximately 740 (Very Good band), 65+ approximately 760 (Very Good band). The national average across all ages sits at approximately 700 on the Equifax scale. These are approximate market benchmarks â€” individual scores vary widely based on payment history, defaults, and credit mix.

✓ This article was legally reviewed by Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB before publication

Elisa Rothschild

(BA/LLB)

Principal Solicitor & Director · Australian Credit Solutions · Fogarty Oliver & Rothschild

Elisa Rothschild is the Principal Solicitor and Director of Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003), a credit repair subsidiary of Fogarty Oliver and Rothschild, Solicitors & Legal Consultants. Elisa holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Monash University and has practised in credit law, consumer finance, and debt negotiation for over 10 years.

Since founding ACS in 2014, Elisa has overseen the removal of defaults, court judgments, and credit enquiries from the files of more than 5,000 Australians. Her team operates under Australia's Privacy Act 1988 and Credit Reporting Code, with the legal authority to challenge non-compliant credit listings. ACS has won the Industry Excellence Award five consecutive years: 2022–2026.

Elisa's team has achieved 976+ verified 5-star reviews on ProductReview.com.au

BA/LLB — Monash UniversityASIC ACL 532003Award Winner 2022–2025AFCA MemberPrivacy Act 1988 Specialist

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