Q12b: Is the following a source of information on your credit report: courthouse and other public records?

Demographic and experience categories Yes No Do not know Refused
All respondents 46.2 ( 1.5) 30.0 ( 1.3) 23.6 ( 1.2) 0.1 ( 0.1)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 36.0 ( 4.7) 37.9 ( 5.1) 26.1 ( 4.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
25 to 34 49.4 ( 3.6) 27.4 ( 3.1) 23.2 ( 3.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
35 to 44 49.9 ( 3.4) 31.2 ( 3.1) 18.9 ( 2.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
45 to 54 42.1 ( 3.2) 31.6 ( 3.1) 26.3 ( 2.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
55 to 64 55.6 ( 3.7) 27.0 ( 3.3) 17.4 ( 2.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
65 and older 43.7 ( 3.3) 27.3 ( 2.9) 28.4 ( 2.8) 0.7 ( 0.7)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 42.4 ( 2.3) 27.9 ( 2.1) 29.7 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$25000 to $49999 40.1 ( 3.0) 36.4 ( 3.0) 23.1 ( 2.8) 0.4 ( 0.4)
$50000 to $74999 48.7 ( 3.6) 30.0 ( 3.3) 21.3 ( 2.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$75000+ 55.9 ( 3.4) 26.7 ( 3.1) 17.4 ( 2.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 35.7 ( 3.6) 26.3 ( 3.3) 37.9 ( 3.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
High school 41.1 ( 2.5) 33.9 ( 2.4) 24.7 ( 2.2) 0.3 ( 0.3)
Some post-secondary education 46.4 ( 2.9) 30.8 ( 2.8) 22.8 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
BA or more 54.7 ( 2.7) 26.8 ( 2.4) 18.5 ( 2.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
ETHNICITY        
White 50.0 ( 1.9) 27.7 ( 1.7) 22.1 ( 1.6) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Black 47.9 ( 3.0) 32.5 ( 2.9) 19.6 ( 2.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Hispanic 26.6 ( 2.7) 40.0 ( 3.1) 33.4 ( 2.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Other 44.4 ( 6.4) 28.2 ( 5.9) 27.4 ( 5.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
SEX        
Male 47.3 ( 2.3) 31.4 ( 2.2) 21.1 ( 2.0) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Female 45.5 ( 1.8) 28.7 ( 1.6) 25.9 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 48.3 ( 2.0) 31.3 ( 1.8) 20.4 ( 1.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Student 37.6 ( 8.1) 30.6 ( 8.5) 31.8 ( 7.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 42.8 ( 2.3) 28.7 ( 2.1) 28.1 ( 2.1) 0.3 ( 0.3)
Other 48.3 ( 6.4) 22.0 ( 5.1) 29.7 ( 6.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 47.4 ( 3.1) 31.5 ( 2.9) 21.1 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Resident of another state 46.1 ( 1.6) 29.8 ( 1.5) 24.0 ( 1.4) 0.1 ( 0.1)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 50.5 ( 1.9) 29.8 ( 1.8) 19.5 ( 1.5) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Did not obtain a credit report 40.4 ( 2.2) 30.4 ( 2.1) 29.3 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Obtained credit score 55.4 ( 2.5) 26.3 ( 2.2) 18.3 ( 1.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not obtain credit score 41.8 ( 1.7) 31.9 ( 1.7) 26.2 ( 1.6) 0.2 ( 0.2)
         
Disputed information on credit report 58.2 ( 3.3) 26.6 ( 3.0) 15.2 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not dispute credit report information 43.6 ( 1.6) 30.8 ( 1.5) 25.5 ( 1.4) 0.1 ( 0.1)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 48.0 ( 1.7) 29.7 ( 1.5) 22.1 ( 1.4) 0.1 ( 0.1)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 40.2 ( 2.9) 31.0 ( 2.8) 28.7 ( 2.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 51.9 ( 4.4) 26.6 ( 3.9) 21.5 ( 3.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Was not a victim of identity theft 45.6 ( 1.5) 30.4 ( 1.4) 23.9 ( 1.3) 0.1 ( 0.1)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 47.9 ( 5.2) 28.6 ( 4.3) 23.5 ( 5.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 46.1 ( 1.5) 30.1 ( 1.4) 23.6 ( 1.3) 0.1 ( 0.1)

Percent estimates totaling 100% within each demographic and experience category, with standard errors in parentheses
 
GAO-05-411SP Credit Reporting Literacy Survey Data
Full Report: GAO-05-223