4 Traits of Americans With a Perfect 850 Credit Score

A perfect 850 credit score is achievable, but pretty rare. According to Motley Fool Money research and Experian data, around 1.76% of Americans have managed to hit that "perfect" credit score number.

You don't need an 850 to get great loan rates or the best credit cards. But you can borrow the habits that make an 850 possible -- and that's how most people move from "average" credit to "excellent" credit.

Below are four traits the research shows.

1. They have five to six credit cards

On average, Americans have about 3.9 credit cards. But people with perfect credit average about 5.8 credit cards.

That might feel counterintuitive if you grew up hearing "more cards = bad." In reality, the number of cards you have isn't a direct scoring factor.

What matters is how you use the credit you have. More accounts can help in a couple ways:

• It can mean a higher total credit limit, which makes it easier to keep utilization low.
• It can create a deeper credit profile over time (more accounts, more history, more proof you can handle it).

The real "850 trait" is organization. People with perfect scores tend to have systems (like autopay, reminders, good budgeting habits) to make sure they don't fall into credit traps.

If you're thinking about adding a card, do it for a clear reason (better rewards, a better fit for your spending), not as a credit-score hack. Take a quick look at today's top rewards cards to see which ones are actually worth considering.

2. They keep balances low and utilization tiny

This is one of the clearest separators.

The average credit card balance is about $6,501 for all Americans. But for people with perfect credit, it's closer to $3,028 -- less than half.

That balance difference shows up loud and clear in utilization (the percentage of available credit you're using). The "rule of thumb" you hear most is keeping utilization under 30%. That's a solid target. But people with 850 scores average around 4% utilization.

They get there with two simple behaviors:

1. They don't carry big revolving balances month to month.
2. They often have more available credit across multiple cards, so normal spending barely moves the needle.

If your utilization tends to spike, the easiest win is to shrink the balance earlier in the month. You can pay once a week, pay mid-cycle, or pay right after a big purchase. Same spending, smoother utilization. Using 0% intro APR cards can help, too.

3. They protect their payment history like it's sacred

Payment history is the heavyweight. It's the biggest factor in a FICO® Score, and perfect scorers treat due dates like a non-negotiable.

The average consumer has about 1.5 delinquent accounts on their credit history. People with an 850 average zero.

No. Late. Payments. Ever.

Also worth knowing: a payment typically isn't reported as late to the credit bureaus until it's 30 days past due. A payment that's a few days late can still trigger fees, but it usually doesn't hit your credit report unless it crosses that 30-day line.

Perfect scorers don't play chicken with deadlines. They pay early, have auto-pay set up as default on all cards, and never miss dates.

4. Their "unfair" secret weapon: being old

A big chunk of perfect scorers are older folks: about 66% are baby boomers or older, and 26% are Gen X.

That means roughly 92% are mid-40s or older.

It's not because younger people can't handle credit. It's because part of your score is tied to length of credit history, and you can't speed-run time.

The way you can "copy" this trait is simply keeping older accounts open when they're annual-fee-free and easy to manage. Also avoid constantly opening and closing accounts without good reason.

Bottom line: Perfect credit is about a wide mix of credit, low balances, on-time payments, and repetition for decades.

If you're ready to put these habits to work, check out today's best-fit credit cards -- the ones that reward the smart patterns you're already building.