Credit scores are pretty mysterious, but they also shape your economic destiny. It determines where you can live, what you can buy, and sometimes even what job you can get. But how do credit bureaus come up with these all-encompassing numbers?

This President's Day we turn to KUOW's newest podcast Control F where host Teo Popescu tells host Clare McGrane about the data that credit scores feed on and how little we really know about how they're calculated.

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Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

Sources in this episode:
Creditworthy: A history of consumer surveillance and financial identity in America, Josh Lauer, 2024
Credit Access in the U.S., U.S. Census Bureau, 2025
Affordable credit poised to save consumers billions, Alex Horowitz, Pew Charitable Trusts, 2023 
WA’s new ban on medical debt in credit reports at risk of federal override, Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard, 2025
Interview with Josh Lauer, Author of Creditworthy 
Interview with Alex Horowitz, Project Director at Pew Charitable Trusts
Interview with Maya Lau, Host of Other People’s Pockets 
Interview with Jazmin, founder of Budget with Jazmin

Credit scores are pretty mysterious, but they also shape your economic destiny.&nbsp;It determines where you can live, what you can buy, and sometimes even what job you can get. But how do credit bureaus come up with these all-encompassing numbers?
This President's Day we turn to KUOW's newest podcast Control F where host Teo Popescu tells host Clare McGrane about the data that credit scores feed on and how little we really know about how they're calculated.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow">Tap here</a> to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.
Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:seattlenow@kuow.org">seattlenow@kuow.org</a>, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or<a href="https://www.kuow.org/feedback"> leave us feedback online</a>.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/creditworthy-a-history-of-consumer-surveillance-and-financial-identity-in-america-josh-lauer/17b6a37b0598ad40?ean=9780231216630&amp;next=t&amp;">Creditworthy:</a>&nbsp;A history of consumer surveillance and financial identity in America, Josh Lauer, 2024</li>
<li><a href="https://www2.census.gov/library/working-papers/2025/adrm/ces/CES-WP-25-45.pdf">Credit Access in the U.S.</a>, U.S. Census Bureau, 2025</li>
<li><a href="https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2023/05/affordable-credit-poised-to-save-consumers-billions">Affordable credit poised to save consumers billions</a>, Alex Horowitz, Pew Charitable Trusts, 2023&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/wa-s-new-ban-on-medical-debt-in-credit-reports-at-risk-of-federal-override">WA&rsquo;s new ban on medical debt in credit reports at risk of federal override</a>, Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard, 2025</li>
<li>Interview with Josh Lauer, Author of Creditworthy&nbsp;</li>
<li>Interview with Alex Horowitz, Project Director at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pew.org/en/">Pew Charitable Trusts</a></li>
<li>Interview with Maya Lau, Host of&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/other-peoples-pockets/id1655009015">Other People&rsquo;s Pockets</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Interview with Jazmin, founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/budgetwithjazmin/?hl=en">Budget with Jazmin</a></li>
</ul>

Seattle Now is KUOW's flagship daily news podcast. Seattle Now brings you quick headlines, smart analysis, and award-winning local news. New episodes every weekday morning and afternoon. Start and end your day with Seattle Now, from KUOW and the NPR Network.

Seattle Now is KUOW's flagship daily news podcast. Seattle Now brings you quick headlines, smart analysis, and award-winning local news. New episodes every weekday morning and afternoon. Start and end your day with Seattle Now, from KUOW and the NPR Network.

Seattle Now

Credit scores are pretty mysterious, but they also shape your economic destiny. It determines where you can live, what you can buy, and sometimes even what job you can get. But how do credit bureaus come up with these all-encompassing numbers?  This President's Day we turn to KUOW's newest podcast Control F where host Teo Popescu tells host Clare McGrane about the data that credit scores feed on, and how little we really know about how they're calculated.