Best and worst cities for credit scores
By Amy C. Fleitas • Bankrate.com

You know your credit score, but did you ever wonder how your neighbors rate -- collectively, at least?

Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, recently released a study ranking cities according to credit scores.

If you live in Minneapolis, you get a gold star. You and your neighbors have the highest average credit score of 707. Boston residents rank a close second, with an average credit score of 705.

"The average credit score for the U.S. is 678, so residents in the Minneapolis and Boston areas are doing a far better job of managing their credit compared to the rest of the nation," says Charles Chung, vice president of consulting and analytics for Experian.

"These residents typically have high credit debt, but use that credit wisely. They also have fewer late payments and don't max out their credit cards," says Chung.

Residents of the Lone Star State rated the lowest -- Houston residents have an average score of 655 and residents of neighboring Dallas scored slightly lower, with an average of 653.

How does your city rate? Here are the scores for 20 major U.S. metropolitan areas, according to the Experian study.