What credit score do you need to buy a house?
Updated November 12, 2026
Lower than most people assume. FHA loans allow 3.5 percent down at a 580 score, and Tennessee's down payment help starts at 640.
The facts
| Program | Minimum score | Down payment |
|---|---|---|
| FHA loan | 580 | 3.5 percent |
| FHA loan | 500 to 579 | 10 percent |
| THDA Great Choice with down payment help | 640 | Help available under income limits |
These are program minimums. A lender can set a higher minimum of its own, and your score also affects your rate.
About a third of would be buyers, 34 percent, think a mortgage takes a 700 score or higher, according to a Veterans United Home Loans survey released in May 2026.
Check your own credit for free
You can get your credit reports from all three bureaus at no cost at AnnualCreditReport.com. Checking your own report does not lower your score.
The calculator on this site does not check your credit. Open the calculator.
Sources: HUD Handbook 4000.1; THDA program guidelines; Veterans United Home Loans survey, May 2026.