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An FHA loan is your main path at this score, with 10% down instead of the usual 3.5%. The calculator below is prefilled with an estimated rate for this score range. Adjust anything.
Compare rates and get pre-approved. Shopping multiple lenders can save tens of thousands over the life of a loan.
For educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Actual loan approval depends on credit score, employment history, and lender criteria. Consult a mortgage professional before making home buying decisions.
Yes, you can still buy a house with a 510 credit score, but your options narrow to essentially one program: FHA. The FHA insures loans down to a 500 score, but between 500 and 579 it requires at least 10% down instead of the usual 3.5%. Conventional lenders won't consider applications below 620 at all.
The bigger obstacle is lender overlays. Even though FHA rules allow a 510 score, many individual lenders set their own minimum at 580 or 620. Expect to shop harder: smaller banks, credit unions, and FHA-specialist mortgage brokers approve in this range far more often than big national lenders.
Not yet. A 510 credit score falls in FICO's lowest band, "poor" (300–579), well below the U.S. average of about 715. Only roughly 5% of U.S. consumers score lower.
Day to day, that means lenders treat you as high-risk: expect secured credit cards rather than unsecured ones, subprime auto-loan rates, and landlords asking for a larger deposit or a co-signer. The upside is that scores in this range respond faster than any other: a few months of on-time payments and falling balances move a 510 more than they would move a 700.
If you're a veteran, VA loans have no official minimum score, though most VA lenders want at least 580. USDA loans typically need 640 for automated approval. For everyone else, FHA with 10% down is the realistic route at this score.
Take a buyer earning $85,000 a year, with $400/month in existing debt and $25,000 saved for a down payment, on a 30-year loan:
| Estimated rate at a 510 score | 7.72% |
| Max home price (bank approval estimate) | $241,000 |
| Estimated monthly payment (P&I + tax + insurance) | $1,980/mo |
| Same buyer with a 760+ score | $255,000 |
| Buying power cost of a 510 score | −$14,000 |
Keep FHA's 10% floor in mind: with $25,000 down, this buyer can't purchase above $250,000 no matter what their income supports. Below 580, your down payment sets a hard price ceiling. Every extra dollar you save raises that ceiling by ten. Also budget for FHA mortgage insurance: 1.75% upfront plus about 0.55% per year, roughly $99/month extra on this loan, not included in the payment above.
At a 550 score (estimated 7.55%), the same buyer could afford about $244,000, $3,000 more house for the same income and monthly budget. The single highest-value move is getting to 580: it cuts your required down payment from 10% to 3.5%. Fastest levers: dispute any errors on your reports, get current on every account, and pay revolving balances below 30% of their limits. Recent history counts most, so 6–12 clean months moves the needle.
Rules and pricing change at 580, 620, 640, and every 20 points beyond; see what credit score you need to buy a house for the full map. Pick your exact score, or use the main affordability calculator if credit isn't your constraint:
Credit is only half the equation; income sets the ceiling. See how much house you can afford at your salary, from $30k to $300k a year. Buying wheels first? See how much car you can afford with a 510 credit score.