Study: Scottsdale rated 3rd-best in US for credit scores, 3 other Arizona cities make top 50

PHOENIX — Scottsdale was ranked the third-best U.S. city for credit scores while three other Arizona cities cracked the top 50, according to study released on Thursday.

WalletHub’s “Cities with the Highest & Lowest Credit Scores (2025)” compared the most-populated 182 cities while excluding “surrounding metro area.”

Gilbert was the next highest ranking Arizona city, coming in at 29th (tied with Denver, Colorado) while Peoria was 41st (tied with two others) and Chandler snuck into the top 50 at 47th (tied with Charleston, South Carolina).

The cities were stacked up based on only one criteria: median credit score. According to financial leader Experian, scores range from 300 to 850, with poor credit ranging from 300-579, fair from 580-669, good from 670-739, very good from 740-799 and excellent from 800-850.

How did Scottsdale compare to its competition?

Scottsdale had a median credit score of 686 points, only behind Fremont, California (688) and South Burlington, Vermont (701).

Gilbert posted 653 points, while Peoria and Chandler came in at 646 and 643, respectively. Of the ranked Valley cities, Phoenix (tied-134th) had the worst score of 612.

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, Scottsdale is the 11th wealthiest Valley city based on four factors, including median and mean household income. WalletHub cited the individual median income of $85,000 as “relatively high” among the context of approximately 240,000 residents.

With considerable disposable income, Scottsdale’s high credit score demonstrates “responsible” use. The solid credit score also translates to a ripe area for first-time home buyers, as the city was rated the 12th-best in America and particularly excelled in its real-estate market (18th out of 300).

Detroit (566) had the worst median credit score by a whopping 24 points, Memphis, Tennessee, posting the second-worst value of 590. Detroit also had the only score in the poor credit range.

Free tips for improving credit score

WalletHub offered five pieces of advice to help improve individual credit scores:

• Pay at least your minimum credit card payment every month.
• Make an effort to use 30% or less of your allotted credit limit per month.
• Keep track of monthly credit reports for self-awareness and to prevent errors.
• Do not open a new account within six months of opening another.
• Keep unused accounts open to help earn points via credit history.

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