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Valentine's Day is a holiday all about love, but many millennials today aren't ready for commitment if it doesn't also come with plans for a solid financial future. If you're looking for love—and financial responsibility—in a partner, check out Experian's third quarter data from 2018 on the top cities where millennials with the highest average FICO® Scores☉ live.
Why Should You Care About a Partner's Credit Score?
A potential partner's credit score doesn't have to top your list of concerns when it comes to dating. However, researchers from the Federal Reserve Board, the Brookings Institution and UCLA stated in a 2015 research paper that "credit scores reveal an individual's relationship skill and level of commitment." They also found that "credit scores are highly predictive of subsequent separations even when controlling for other factors, such as couples' use of credit and the occurrence of financial distress." According to those researchers, credit scores could help determine whether couples stay together.
Do You Need to Know Credit Scores Before Going Out?
While asking for a date's credit score before going out could be a little awkward, you might find the right person on a dating site that does just that. The case for knowing may be worth it, though, as the same researchers found that credit scores can be used to reveal information about trustworthiness and commitment—important relationship factors. According to their findings, credit scores show a lot more than just a person's creditworthiness from paying bills and debt.
Single in the City
In 2017, there were 110.6 million unmarried people over age 18 in the U.S., according to U.S. Census Bureau data. That represents 45% of the American adult population, with women accounting for 53% of singles, and men 47%. Singles continue marrying later, as women marry at the median age of 27.6, while men marry at the age of 29.5, according to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). So if you should've put a ring on it—but didn't—or you're looking for love in the wrong places, here are the cities where younger millennials, ages 24 to 32, have the best FICO® Score:
Here is where older single millennials, ages 33 to 39, have the highest average FICO Scores:
Learn More About Your Credit Score
It's never too late to start learning more about your own FICO® Score. Improving your score could help you gain access to more credit options, lower interest rates and reduced fees. You can get started with your free credit report from Experian and free FICO® Score to learn what's needed to help your score grow. You can also read more about credit score ranges and what a good credit score is.