Top Credit Scores in New York City by Neighborhood

Upper West Side and Upper East Side Tie for Highest Credit Score

The two well-known neighborhoods that flank New York City's Central Park tied for the top spot of highest average credit score in New York City. Both neighborhoods had an average FICO^® Score of 746—43 points higher than the national average and 34 points higher than New York State's average of 712, according to Experian data.

Of the neighborhoods with the top 10 average credit scores in New York City, six were in Manhattan. Neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island also made the list.

1. Upper East Side, Manhattan

This neighborhood is located on the east side of Manhattan.
Average credit score: 746
Average estimated income: $128,389
Total average debt: $152,541

2. Upper West Side, Manhattan

This neighborhood is located on the west side of Manhattan.
Average credit score: 746
Average estimated income: $121,072
Total average debt: $149,533

3. Gramercy Park and Murray Hill, Manhattan

These neighborhoods are on the east side of Manhattan, south of 34th Street.
Average credit score: 745
Average estimated income: $127,780
Total average debt: $122,839

4. Northeast Queens

This area includes Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck and Oakland Gardens.
Average credit score: 743
Average estimated income: $95,396
Total average debt: $87,486

5. Greenwich Village and SoHo, Manhattan

These neighborhoods are in Lower Manhattan.
Average credit score: 742
Average estimated income: $127,780
Total average debt: $122,839

6. Northwest Brooklyn

This area includes Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill, Downtown, Fort Greene, Park Slope and Red Hook.
Average credit score: 730
Average estimated income: $100,479
Total average debt: $140,563

7. Chelsea, Manhattan

This neighborhood is on the west side of Manhattan.
Average credit score: 729
Average estimated income: $113,476
Total average debt: $111,913

8. North Queens

This area includes Auburndale, Bay Terrace, Clearview, College Point, Flushing and Whitestone.
Average credit score: 729
Average estimated income: $95,396
Total average debt: $87,486

9. Lower East Side, Manhattan

This neighborhood is in Lower Manhattan on the east side of the island.
Average credit score: 728
Average estimated income: $87,214
Total average debt: $70,468

10. South Shore, Staten Island

This neighborhood is in Staten Island.
Average credit score: 728
Average estimated income: $101,618
Total average debt: $129,013

Average Credit Score in Manhattan Is 714

Despite the Upper East Side and Upper West Side leading New York City's average credit scores, Manhattan has significant economic diversity. In fact, there's a 79-point difference in its neighborhoods' average FICO^® Scores, the largest disparity among all of New York City's five boroughs.

*Source: Experian Q2 2019 data

Average Credit Score in Queens Is 710

Consumers in Northeast Queens had the highest average credit score among neighborhoods in Queens at 743. Jamaica was the neighborhood with the lowest average score in Queens at 675.

*Source: Experian Q2 2019 data

Average Credit Score in Staten Island Is 709

The South Shore neighborhood had the highest average credit score of all of Staten Island at 728. Consumers in Port Richmond had the lowest average score at 681.

*Source: Experian Q2 2019 data

Average Credit Score in Brooklyn Is 700

Northwest Brooklyn had the highest average credit score among neighborhoods in Brooklyn: Consumers there had an average FICO^® Score of 730. In addition to having the best scores in the borough, consumers in Northwest Brooklyn also carried over $65,000 more in average total debt than Southwest Brooklyn, which had the next best average scores in Brooklyn.

East New York and New Lots had the lowest average score in the borough at 664.

*Source: Experian Q2 2019 data

The Average Credit Score in the Bronx Is 665

Consumers in Kingsbridge and Riverdale in the Bronx had the highest credit scores, with an average of 717. Consumers living in the Central Bronx had the lowest scores in the Bronx and in all of New York City, with an average of 641.

*Source: Experian Q2 2019 data

Neighborhoods With High Average Income Typically Had Higher Credit Scores

As is expected, areas in New York City with the highest credit scores also had some of the highest incomes. That's not to say, however, that high income is needed for top credit scores. In Northeast Queens—the neighborhood with the fourth-highest average credit score in New York City—the average estimated income was lower than other neighborhoods that had lower credit scores.

*Methodology:
Neighborhoods were selected and established using ZIP code parameters made available by the City of New York.