Credit glossary
Middle score
The score a mortgage lender typically uses after pulling one score from each of the three bureaus: the one in the middle.
Mortgage lenders pull a tri-merge report with a score from each bureau and usually take the middle one. HUD's Mortgagee Letter 2026-11 spells out FHA's version: the middle score when three come back, the lower when only two do, and for the loan, the lowest borrower score among all borrowers. If a lender submits more than one score model, the borrower's score is the lowest across them.
Conventional loans handle multiple borrowers differently. Fannie Mae's guide describes Desktop Underwriter using the average of the borrowers' median scores, so ask your lender how it applies the rule to your loan. The middle score is also why one bad bureau file matters: a collection on only one report can pull that bureau's score into the middle spot.
Example
Say your scores are 652, 640 and 664. Sorted, they're 640, 652 and 664, so the middle is 652. If a co-borrower's middle is 688, FHA uses 652 for the loan.
Guides that go deeper
- The middle score rule: which of your three scores a mortgage usesLenders pull three scores and use the middle one, or the lower of two. How FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and USDA handle it, including two borrowers.
- The credit scores mortgage lenders actually pull in 2026Mortgage lenders pull FICO 2, 4 and 5 or VantageScore 4.0 from all three bureaus and use your middle score. The 2026 rules and FICO 10T's status.
- Credit score for an FHA loan: the 580 and 500 rules, explainedFHA allows scores down to 500 with 10% down and 580 for 3.5% down, but lenders add overlays. How FHA picks your score and what changes in 2027.
Sources
- Mortgagee Letter 2026-11: Updated Minimum Decision Credit Score Methodology for the Implementation of Alternative Credit Scores, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- B3-5.1-01, General Requirements for Credit Scores, Fannie Mae Selling Guide
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