 TITLE: Top 25 Cities for Late Payments CONTENT: What Does Decreased Delinquency Mean for City Credit Scores?\n------------------------------------------------------------\nIt's impossible to say for sure that the drop in the delinquency ratio in these cities is what caused their average credit scores to go up. Credit scores are based on many factors, and scores have been generally risen across the country in recent years. But the fact remains that the majority of cities that saw above-average growth in credit scores also saw a bigger decline in their delinquency ratio. Because payment history is the most important factor in credit score calculations, it's safe to assume on-time payments may have helped consumers' credit scores improve.\nFor perspective, the average FICO® Score in the U.S. has only increased 10 points over the past five years. And in exactly half—488—of the 976 cities in this analysis, credit scores increased 10 points or more—with many increasing by as much as 15 or 20 points. END