Some of us may have shied away from looking at our credit scores once we finished our holiday shopping, but WalletHub took a look anyway and found perhaps we’d better do a little work.

In “States With the Largest Credit Score Decreases,” West Virginia ranked 11th. The average credit score in the Mountain State fell by 0.61% between the third quarters of 2023 and 2024. In fact, by the end of Q3 2024, the average credit score in the state was 647.

Ohio is doing a little better, with a rank of 22nd. In the Buckeye State, the average credit score fell by 0.58% in the same period, with the average credit score being 684 by the end of Q3 2024.

To be fair, all 50 states experienced a decrease in the average credit score — ranging from Maine, where the average score decreased by only 0.15% to Alaska, where the average score decreased by 1.02%.

What’s going on here? Credit scores can drop for a variety of reasons: high credit utilization; missed payments; bankruptcies; foreclosures; having your credit limit lowered; opening new accounts, closing old ones, or paying off a loan (which lowers the overall age of your credit history); identity theft; even an unfavorable mix of credit account types.

“If your credit score is low or has recently dropped, the quickest and best way to improve your score is to use a credit card regularly and pay the balance on time and in full every month,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. ” … You should also strive to keep your credit utilization below 30% of your credit limit and work to actively pay down any long-term debts you have.”

Sound advice, of course, but easier said than done for millions upon millions of Americans who feel they have no choice but to increase their credit card utilization while paying the bare minimum each month — maybe they’re missing a payment here and there, too.

There are resources to help, and local credit counseling services are a great place to start. But if this is a nationwide phenomenon, it may be a sign there is larger work to do.

Imagine the difference it would make if there were more good-paying jobs, the government remained accountable so that more money stayed in taxpayers’ pockets, and sound economic policies helped tame prices and expenses that are still through the roof.

Yes, individuals must be smart and fiscally prudent. As they do their part, economic development officials, politicians and policymakers must do theirs, too.