Credit scores around the nation
The Financial Wellness Index dashboard and mapping – created in partnership with Experian – provides a unique snapshot of a community’s financial health as measured by the average credit scores of its residents. Credit scores are important because they affect residents’ ability to borrow, the likelihood they can be resilient during difficult times, and their ability to achieve financial goals like purchasing a home or starting a business.
How to use the Financial Wellness Index
Making smart decisions about how best to help individuals and communities starts with good data which show the current status of a person or community’s financial wellbeing. This index is designed to not only show the average credit score of a community but also, and more importantly, identify communities where there are lower average scores. Understanding these data can help inform policy, program and service offerings, and can provide residents a greater understanding of their specific community’s financial health.
The HOPE Community Credit Score Index takes an even closer look into the financial health of neighboring communities. This important tool helps us understand the specific needs of these communities and drives our work around things such as developing our programs and influencing policy.
The HOPE Community Credit Score Index overlays resident credit score data with other critical information on education, homeownership, income, life expectancy, and crime to identify the neighborhoods most in need. These statistics help inform policy, program and service offerings, and provide residents a greater understanding of their specific community’s financial health. Click on the images below to download a report.
Putting the Financial Wellness Index into practice
By better understanding the financial wellbeing of your community and those around you, you can help improve the wellbeing of those communities. Support others on their journey to financial freedom by donating to, volunteering, or partnering with Operation HOPE.