Journal of Economic Literature
ISSN 0022-0515 (Print) | ISSN 2328-8175 (Online)
Consumer Credit Reporting Data
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 63,
no. 2, June 2025
(pp. 598–636)
Abstract
Since the 2000s, economists across fields have increasingly used consumer credit reporting data for research. We introduce readers to the economics and institutional details of these data. Using examples from the literature, we provide practical guidance on how to use these data to construct economic measures of borrowing, consumption,credit access, financial distress, and geographic mobility. We explain what credit scores measure and why. We highlight how researchers can access credit reporting data via existing datasets or by creating new datasets, including by linking credit reporting data with surveys and external datasets.Citation
Gibbs, Christa, Benedict Guttman-Kenney, Donghoon Lee, Scott Nelson, Wilbert van der Klaauw, and Jialan Wang. 2025. "Consumer Credit Reporting Data." Journal of Economic Literature 63 (2): 598–636. DOI: 10.1257/jel.20241737Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D10 Household Behavior: General
- D40 Market Structure, Pricing, and Design: General
- D82 Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
- E21 Macroeconomics: Consumption; Saving; Wealth
- G21 Banks; Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
- G28 Financial Institutions and Services: Government Policy and Regulation
- G51 Household Finance: Household Saving, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth