Tatarstan has improved its credit discipline, and Innopolis has emerged as a leader.

      Experts explained why credit ratings are growing faster in small towns

      Photo: Real Time

      The average credit rating of Russians reached 722 points in June 2026, increasing by two points over the year. The growth of this indicator has been recorded in most regions of the country, including Tatarstan, which, according to experts, indicates an increase in the financial literacy of borrowers. Speaking of specific growth, one interesting fact emerges: the rise is particularly high in small towns of the regions. Why they may become the next source of growth for retail lending and what distinguishes Tatarstan's Innopolis — in the material of "Real Time."

      Russians improved their credit discipline, and Tatarstan entered the top 20 regions

      The average credit rating of Russians reached 722 points in June 2026, increasing by two points over the year. This data is provided by the online platform "Kredistoria" (Unified Credit Bureau). The growth of this indicator has been recorded in most regions of the country, which, according to Nikolai Filippov, director of risk management methodology and data analytics at the UCB, indicates an increase in the financial literacy of borrowers: "The main positive outcome of June is the growth of the credit rating of Russians in the overwhelming majority of regions. It indicates that financial literacy and the culture of lending among Russian borrowers are developing in the right direction. In the medium term, this should lead to an increase in application approvals, a decrease in credit risks, and, consequently, a reduction in rates from creditors," Filippov stated.

      Dinar Fatykhov / realnoevremya.ru

      Moscow remains the leader, where the average score reached 779 points, which is three points higher than the previous year. St. Petersburg is in second place with a score of 775 points. The top 3 includes a region from the Volga Federal District, but it is not Tatarstan, but Udmurtia (756 points). In seventh place is neighboring Chuvashia with 747 points.

      Tatarstan ranked 19th in the national rating. The average credit rating of the residents of the republic in June was 736 points, which is four points higher than the figure for June 2025. This is a stable growth — on average, points increased by 3-4 points across regions over the year.

      By the way, the same level of credit rating was recorded in the Arkhangelsk, Kursk, and Lipetsk regions.

      In several subjects of the country, points still decreased. The most noticeable reduction was recorded in Sevastopol, where the score decreased by 48 points. Negative dynamics were also noted in Crimea, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Tuva.

      The average credit rating of Innopolis residents rose to 798 points

      Despite Tatarstan's very high position in the ranking, one of the most notable growth results among Russian cities was shown by Tatarstan's Innopolis. Over the year, the average credit rating of its residents increased by 20 points — from 778 to 798 points.

      "This achievement confirms the direct link between the economic development of the territory and the emerging positive experience of lending to its residents," Nikolai Filippov reported.

      Artem Dergunov / realnoevremya.ru

      The city is listed among small towns in the regions, such as Dobryanka in Perm Krai, Babushkin in Buryatia, Insar in Mordovia, and Kamennogorsk in Leningrad Oblast, while the director of strategy at IC "Finam," Yaroslav Kabakov, highlights it from this list precisely for its "concentration of qualified specialists and stable incomes."

      In other cases, the growth of the credit rating of residents in small towns does not mean that the level of wealth there is higher than in large metropolises. This opinion was expressed in an interview with "Real Time" by economist and head of the company "R-Invest," Rustem Shaiakhmetov.

      "It's like average temperature. And I don't think that in these small towns, people actively use credit resources; those who do usually have a good credit history. The population there is more conservative," Shaiakhmetov noted.

      He added that the indicator is also influenced by the low prevalence of mortgage lending in small settlements. It is precisely mortgages that often become the cause of financial difficulties today.

      At the same time, the study clarifies that in most regions, the credit rating of residents in administrative centers is higher than the average for the subject. Thus, the largest gap was recorded in Novosibirsk and Omsk regions — by 48 points each.

      Dinar Fatykhov / realnoevremya.ru

      In Tatarstan, this difference is significantly smaller: the average rating of Kazan residents exceeds the overall republican indicator by five points — 733 points for the residents of the republic against 738 points for Kazan residents. Exceptions were Krasnodar Krai, where the indicators matched, and Volgograd Oblast, where the average rating of the region's residents turned out to be slightly higher than that of the residents of the regional center — Volgograd.

      Residents of small towns have started to form positive credit histories more often

      The opinion of the director of strategy at IC "Finam," Yaroslav Kabakov, somewhat coincides with that of Rustem Shaiakhmetov. According to the expert, the growth of the credit rating of residents in small towns is largely explained by the low base effect and the gradual involvement of regions in the modern financial system.

      "In large cities, the market is already mature: high competition among banks, significant debt burden, and a considerable share of borrowers with already established credit histories limit further growth of ratings. In small towns, the situation is different: the digitalization of banking services, the growth of official employment, and the availability of financial products allow more residents to form a positive credit history. Moreover, borrowers in the regions are often more conservative — they use expensive unsecured loans less and better adhere to payment discipline," Kabakov explained.

      The expert emphasized that the growth of credit ratings in small towns does not indicate a sharp increase in the population's wealth.

      "Overall, the growth of credit ratings in small towns shows not a sharp increase in wealth but the transition of previously 'invisible' clients to banks into a full-fledged financial market. It is these regions that can become the next source of growth for retail lending, but provided that control over the population's debt burden is maintained," concluded the expert.

      Natalia Zhirnova

      More news about the event:

      The credit rating of Tatarstan reached 736 points in June 2026

      At the same time, one of the highest growth rates was demonstrated by Innopolis — over the year, the rating of its residents increased by 20 points — from 778 to 798. 10:15 16.07.2026 TatCenter.ru - Kazan

      Tatarstan improved credit discipline, and Innopolis surged to the top

      Experts explained why credit ratings are growing faster in small towns

      Photo: Real Time

      The average credit rating of Russians reached 722 points in June 2026, increasing by two points over the year. 19:23 15.07.2026 Real Time - Kazan

      "Finam": residents of small towns have started to form positive credit histories more often

      The average credit rating of Russians reached 722 points in June 2026, increasing by two points over the year

      Photo: 19:23 15.07.2026 Real Time - Kazan

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      Kirov Oblast ranks 42nd in the volume of cash loans issued

      Experts prepared a new study. Photo: Newsler

      The "Unified Credit Bureau" published a ranking of regions in Russia by the volume of cash loans issued. 13:06 16.07.2026 Newsler.Ru - Kirov

      Sberbank's retail loan portfolio in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast exceeded 310 billion rubles

      As of June 1, 2026, the retail loan portfolio of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Sberbank exceeded 310 billion rubles, demonstrating a growth of 4% since the beginning of the year, the bank's press service reports. 10:47 16.07.2026 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      Budget loans totaling over 200 million rubles were written off in Chukotka

      The Chairman of the Government of Russia, Mikhail Mishustin, signed an order to write off part of the debt on budget loans for 17 regions. 16:07 16.07.2026 Anadyr.Org - Anadyr

      Preliminary results of the main period of the Unified State Exam-2026 in Tyumen Oblast have been summarized

      Graduates demonstrated a confident positive dynamic:

      🔹98 perfect scores after reviewing appeals (an increase of 58%);

      🔹the number of high-scoring works increased by 46%. 12:02 15.07.2026 Armizon72.Ru - Armizonskoye

      Preliminary results of the main period of the Unified State Exam-2026 in Tyumen Oblast have been summarized

      Source: Information Center of the Government of the Tyumen Oblast

      Photo: archive of the editorial office.

      Graduates demonstrated a confident positive dynamic:

      - 98 perfect scores after reviewing appeals (an increase