Q45f: How will using most of the credit available to you affect your credit score?

Demographic and experience categories Positive No effect Negative Do not know
All respondents 14.8 ( 1.0) 12.3 ( 1.0) 51.5 ( 1.5) 21.4 ( 1.2)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 18.1 ( 3.9) 17.0 ( 3.9) 39.2 ( 5.0) 25.8 ( 4.5)
25 to 34 16.4 ( 2.5) 9.1 ( 2.1) 56.7 ( 3.5) 17.8 ( 2.6)
35 to 44 17.6 ( 2.5) 11.9 ( 2.5) 56.8 ( 3.4) 13.7 ( 2.4)
45 to 54 15.2 ( 2.3) 12.9 ( 2.3) 50.1 ( 3.3) 21.8 ( 2.6)
55 to 64 11.1 ( 2.4) 9.3 ( 2.1) 60.6 ( 3.6) 19.0 ( 2.8)
65 and older 11.5 ( 1.9) 13.0 ( 2.2) 45.2 ( 3.3) 30.3 ( 3.0)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 19.4 ( 1.8) 10.4 ( 1.4) 40.2 ( 2.3) 30.0 ( 2.1)
$25000 to $49999 18.4 ( 2.5) 11.1 ( 2.0) 52.1 ( 3.1) 18.3 ( 2.4)
$50000 to $74999 11.1 ( 2.2) 15.5 ( 2.7) 59.2 ( 3.5) 14.1 ( 2.4)
$75000+ 10.7 ( 2.0) 10.9 ( 2.3) 62.0 ( 3.3) 16.3 ( 2.6)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 15.7 ( 2.6) 9.3 ( 2.3) 27.5 ( 3.4) 47.5 ( 3.7)
High school 18.4 ( 1.9) 11.8 ( 1.7) 46.5 ( 2.5) 23.2 ( 2.1)
Some post-secondary education 14.5 ( 2.1) 14.4 ( 2.2) 58.0 ( 2.8) 13.1 ( 1.7)
BA or more 10.8 ( 1.7) 11.9 ( 1.7) 58.8 ( 2.7) 18.5 ( 2.3)
ETHNICITY        
White 11.7 ( 1.2) 13.0 ( 1.3) 56.0 ( 1.9) 19.3 ( 1.5)
Black 22.3 ( 2.6) 7.6 ( 1.5) 52.2 ( 3.0) 17.9 ( 2.2)
Hispanic 20.8 ( 2.6) 11.1 ( 2.2) 31.8 ( 2.9) 36.3 ( 2.9)
Other 21.4 ( 5.2) 17.0 ( 4.8) 42.4 ( 6.4) 19.1 ( 4.7)
SEX        
Male 16.5 ( 1.7) 13.1 ( 1.6) 52.4 ( 2.3) 18.0 ( 1.8)
Female 13.2 ( 1.2) 11.5 ( 1.2) 51.0 ( 1.8) 24.4 ( 1.5)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 13.9 ( 1.3) 13.4 ( 1.4) 55.9 ( 2.0) 16.8 ( 1.5)
Student 30.1 ( 8.5) 6.3 ( 3.8) 45.9 ( 8.4) 17.7 ( 6.1)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 14.5 ( 1.6) 11.4 ( 1.5) 45.0 ( 2.3) 29.1 ( 2.1)
Other 14.6 ( 4.2) 9.0 ( 3.3) 43.4 ( 6.3) 33.0 ( 6.4)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 13.6 ( 2.0) 13.3 ( 2.1) 57.7 ( 3.0) 15.4 ( 2.0)
Resident of another state 14.9 ( 1.1) 12.2 ( 1.1) 50.6 ( 1.6) 22.3 ( 1.3)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 14.1 ( 1.4) 11.1 ( 1.2) 59.4 ( 1.9) 15.4 ( 1.3)
Did not obtain a credit report 15.6 ( 1.5) 14.0 ( 1.7) 40.8 ( 2.2) 29.6 ( 2.0)
         
Obtained credit score 13.8 ( 1.7) 12.1 ( 1.7) 61.1 ( 2.5) 13.1 ( 1.7)
Did not obtain credit score 15.2 ( 1.3) 12.4 ( 1.2) 46.8 ( 1.8) 25.5 ( 1.5)
         
Disputed information on credit report 11.7 ( 2.0) 7.2 ( 1.7) 68.2 ( 3.0) 12.8 ( 2.2)
Did not dispute credit report information 15.4 ( 1.2) 13.4 ( 1.1) 47.9 ( 1.6) 23.3 ( 1.3)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 13.4 ( 1.1) 12.5 ( 1.2) 56.9 ( 1.7) 17.3 ( 1.3)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 19.3 ( 2.3) 11.7 ( 1.9) 33.7 ( 2.9) 35.3 ( 2.7)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 14.5 ( 2.8) 6.3 ( 2.0) 63.7 ( 4.1) 15.5 ( 3.1)
Was not a victim of identity theft 14.8 ( 1.1) 12.9 ( 1.1) 50.2 ( 1.5) 22.1 ( 1.3)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 19.0 ( 3.7) 7.7 ( 2.8) 61.1 ( 4.9) 12.2 ( 2.9)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 14.4 ( 1.1) 12.7 ( 1.1) 50.7 ( 1.5) 22.3 ( 1.2)

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