Credit score nation: How people feel the number shapes their financial future

A 2026 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Independent Lending and summarized by Stacker, maps how people relate to their credit score at a time when scoring methods are starting to include rent payments. The results show widespread anxiety, avoidance, and a demand for more inclusive measures of creditworthiness.

Only 19% of respondents said they check their credit score regularly and feel in control of it. The rest fall into several uncomfortable categories: 22% check regularly but feel anxious, 27% avoid checking because of stress, 18% don't know their current score at all, and 14% rarely think about or manage it. Together these groups mean 67% of the sample describe their relationship with their score as uneasy to estranged.

A falling credit score affects more than borrowing power. When asked how a significant drop would affect their sense of financial identity or self-worth, 29% said it would affect them a great deal and 62% said it would affect them at least somewhat. Women in the sample reported higher emotional impact (65%) than men (56%).

Avoidance is concentrated among groups under financial pressure. Parents with children under 18 were most likely to avoid checking (35%), followed by millennials (30%), compared with 24% for respondents with no children at home. Survey respondents pointed to daily financial strain—rent, childcare, groceries—as reasons that checking the number adds stress rather than clarity.

The single most requested change to how creditworthiness is judged was to count rent and utility payments. That preference aligns with policy and product shifts in 2026: VantageScore 4.0 began incorporating rent payments directly into the score, and Fannie Mae announced it would accept VantageScore 4.0 with historical score data published in July 2026. For many respondents, including rent and utilities would make the score reflect more of their real payment behavior.

What this means for borrowers and lenders

Borrowers: A large share of people feel detached or distressed about their score, yet many rely on credit for essentials. Expanded scoring inputs like rent could bring people's real payment histories into the score, potentially improving outcomes for renters who pay on time.

Lenders and policymakers: Changes to scoring models will intersect with consumer sentiment. If rent and utilities become standard inputs, lenders will see different risk profiles. But psychological effects—fear, avoidance, and the use of credit for necessities—remain important for how people respond to score changes.

The survey paints a picture of widespread discomfort with a numerical system that controls access to housing and credit. As scoring models begin to include rent payments, a major consumer request is being answered, but many people still experience stress and use credit to cover basic expenses. That gap—between how scores are calculated and how people live month to month—frames the current debate about fairness and effectiveness in credit reporting.