MFP’s Community Mortgage Lenders Survey shows which mortgage refinance lenders homeowners recommend; broken down by state and major cities.These reports highlight over 55,000 homeowners experiences with more than 4,700 lenders reviewing application process, rates, support, and overall satisfaction.
Whether you’re refinancing or researching the market, you’ll find useful, straightforward insights.The community survey of mortgage refinance lenders results can be found below.
Updated: May 7, 2025
National Home Refinance Report: Lenders Satisfaction
The report covers over 55,000 community members surveyed with over 4,700 refinance lenders in the last 12 months.
| Lender Type | Application Ease | Loan Terms & Rate Satisfaction | Support & Guidance | Recommendation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Lenders | 4.26 | 4.09 | 4.27 | 88.9% |
| Credit Unions | 4.12 | 4.13 | 4.25 | 87.8% |
| Banks | 3.88 | 3.96 | 3.97 | 85.5% |
| Community Banks | 3.78 | 3.93 | 4.00 | 84.9% |
MFP’s Takeaway:
- Online Lenders lead in application ease (4.26) and have the highest overall recommendation rate (88.9%), suggesting consumers appreciate their streamlined digital processes.
- Credit Unions perform strongly across all categories, particularly in support and guidance (4.25), and have the second-highest recommendation rate (87.8%). They also made impressive progress in online mortgage services over the past few years.
- Community Banks typically score lower than other lender types, especially in application ease (3.78), though they still maintain respectable satisfaction ratings.
- Application Ease shows the widest variance between lender types, with online lenders outperforming traditional institutions by a significant margin.
- Support & Guidance is generally highest for credit unions and online lenders, suggesting these institutions may be investing more and better in 1 on 1 services.
Lenders Recommendations by State
You can also see reports lenders results state by state.
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Regional Trends
Refinance lenders performs differently locally and this have an impact on regional trends for mortgage lenders satisfactions.
Northeast
- Credit unions consistently outperform other lenders in recommendation rates (averaging 89-92%)
- Rhode Island shows the strongest performance for online lenders (93% recommendation)
- New Hampshire has unusually low ratings for traditional banks (70%, compared to regional average of ~85%)
- Pennsylvania shows strong performance across all lender types with less variance between them
Southeast
- Mississippi credit unions have one of the highest recommendation rates nationwide (96%)
- Kentucky community banks stand out with a 96% recommendation rate despite lower application ease scores
- Florida shows exceptionally strong performance across all metrics for credit unions
- North Carolina shows the largest gap between online lenders and other institutions
- West Virginia has the lowest overall satisfaction ratings in the region
Midwest
- Illinois credit unions have some of the highest scores nationwide (4.9 for application ease)
- Indiana shows significantly lower satisfaction across all lender types compared to neighboring states
- Wisconsin online lenders have exceptional application ease ratings (4.8)
- Minnesota shows consistent performance across all lender types with less variance
West
- Utah credit unions lead the region with 95% recommendation rate and high scores across all categories
- California shows the highest application ease scores for credit unions (4.9)
- Alaska online lenders significantly outperform other lender types in the state
- Arizona credit unions excel in support & guidance (4.8, among the highest nationwide)
- Colorado shows a wide gap between credit unions and other lenders in recommendation rates
South
- Texas credit unions have very high ratings for service metrics but surprisingly lower recommendation rates (74%)
- Louisiana shows strong performance for community banks (95% recommendation)
- Arkansas has consistently good ratings across all lender types with less variation
- Oklahoma online lenders significantly outperform other lender types in the state
Regional Patterns
- Urban vs. Rural Divide: States with large metropolitan areas tend to show stronger performance for online lenders, while rural states often favor community banks and credit unions.
- East Coast Consistency: Northeastern states show less variance between lender types compared to other regions.
- West Coast Innovation: Western states show higher application ease scores across all lender types, suggesting more advanced digital adoption.
- Southern Traditional Banking: Southern states show stronger performance for traditional banks compared to other regions.
Lenders Summary Data by State
| State | Lender Type | Application Ease | Loan Terms & Rate Satisfaction | Support & Guidance | Recommendation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Credit Unions | 3.60 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 88% |
| Community Banks | 3.70 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 80% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 3.70 | 4.00 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 88% | |
| Alaska | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.90 | 4.20 | 83% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.70 | 80% | |
| Banks | 3.40 | 3.70 | 3.40 | 88% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 91% | |
| Arizona | Credit Unions | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.80 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.70 | 80% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 87% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 91% | |
| Arkansas | Credit Unions | 4.40 | 4.60 | 4.70 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 87% | |
| Banks | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.20 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| California | Credit Unions | 4.90 | 4.80 | 4.90 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 4.70 | 4.80 | 4.70 | 87% | |
| Banks | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.60 | 4.70 | 87% | |
| Colorado | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.40 | 4.50 | 95% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.80 | 3.80 | 87% | |
| Banks | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.70 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 91% | |
| Connecticut | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 95% |
| Community Banks | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 94% | |
| Banks | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 92% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 88% | |
| Delaware | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 85% |
| Community Banks | 3.40 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 81% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 3.70 | 82% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.10 | 88% | |
| Florida | Credit Unions | 4.70 | 4.80 | 4.70 | 94% |
| Community Banks | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 | 90% | |
| Banks | 4.60 | 4.50 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.70 | 4.60 | 4.40 | 92% | |
| Georgia | Credit Unions | 4.42 | 4.42 | 4.50 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.93 | 3.96 | 3.97 | 88% | |
| Banks | 3.77 | 3.83 | 3.74 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.15 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 88% | |
| Hawaii | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 82% |
| Community Banks | 3.30 | 3.60 | 3.70 | 76% | |
| Banks | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.60 | 4.00 | 4.40 | 90% | |
| Idaho | Credit Unions | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.50 | 88% |
| Community Banks | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.60 | 91% | |
| Banks | 3.50 | 3.80 | 3.40 | 85% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 90% | |
| Illinois | Credit Unions | 4.90 | 4.60 | 4.80 | 93% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 87% | |
| Banks | 3.70 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.00 | 3.70 | 4.10 | 87% | |
| Indiana | Credit Unions | 3.60 | 3.30 | 3.20 | 74% |
| Community Banks | 3.20 | 3.40 | 3.00 | 73% | |
| Banks | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 77% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 3.90 | 4.30 | 88% | |
| Iowa | Credit Unions | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 83% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 87% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Kansas | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 87% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 84% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Kentucky | Credit Unions | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 76% |
| Community Banks | 3.70 | 4.20 | 4.30 | 96% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 3.80 | 3.80 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.10 | 86% | |
| Louisiana | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.90 | 4.00 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 95% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 93% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 3.90 | 4.20 | 89% | |
| Maine | Credit Unions | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 89% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.10 | 85% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 88% | |
| Maryland | Credit Unions | 4.50 | 4.40 | 4.40 | 94% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 83% | |
| Banks | 3.60 | 3.90 | 3.80 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 89% | |
| Massachusetts | Credit Unions | 4.20 | 4.50 | 4.60 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 90% | |
| Banks | 4.10 | 4.30 | 4.20 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 3.90 | 4.10 | 89% | |
| Michigan | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.30 | 89% |
| Community Banks | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 87% | |
| Banks | 3.60 | 3.90 | 3.50 | 77% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 89% | |
| Minnesota | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 89% | |
| Banks | 3.70 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 87% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 90% | |
| Mississippi | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 96% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 86% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 3.90 | 4.00 | 88% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Missouri | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 89% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 84% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 89% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 3.80 | 4.10 | 89% | |
| Montana | Credit Unions | 4.50 | 4.40 | 4.60 | 91% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 4.20 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 3.60 | 4.00 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 89% | |
| Nebraska | Credit Unions | 3.60 | 4.20 | 4.30 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 87% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 91% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| Nevada | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 85% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 85% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.80 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| New Hampshire | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 85% |
| Community Banks | 3.90 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 90% | |
| Banks | 2.90 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 70% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.60 | 4.00 | 4.40 | 90% | |
| New Jersey | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.40 | 84% |
| Community Banks | 3.70 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 83% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 92% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 90% | |
| New Mexico | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 4.10 | 3.90 | 86% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 3.90 | 3.80 | 86% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 3.60 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| New York | Credit Unions | 4.50 | 4.40 | 4.60 | 91% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 4.20 | 4.40 | 89% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 3.60 | 4.00 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 89% | |
| North Carolina | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 78% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.20 | 3.70 | 67% | |
| Banks | 3.80 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.00 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| North Dakota | Credit Unions | 3.50 | 3.50 | 4.00 | 80% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.90 | 82% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 87% | |
| Ohio | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 87% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 3.80 | 3.80 | 81% | |
| Banks | 3.60 | 3.60 | 3.70 | 83% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 88% | |
| Oklahoma | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.90 | 4.20 | 81% |
| Community Banks | 3.70 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 80% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.10 | 4.50 | 90% | |
| Oregon | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.50 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 3.40 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 82% | |
| Banks | 3.60 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Pennsylvania | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 4.20 | 4.40 | 88% |
| Community Banks | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 87% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.70 | 4.30 | 4.20 | 91% | |
| Rhode Island | Credit Unions | 4.10 | 4.40 | 4.50 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 3.50 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 83% | |
| Banks | 4.10 | 4.60 | 4.70 | 85% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.80 | 4.20 | 4.50 | 93% | |
| South Carolina | Credit Unions | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 4.00 | 4.10 | 3.80 | 89% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 3.90 | 4.00 | 88% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.20 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 88% | |
| South Dakota | Credit Unions | 4.50 | 4.10 | 4.50 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.70 | 3.70 | 79% | |
| Banks | 3.70 | 3.90 | 4.00 | 83% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 90% | |
| Tennessee | Credit Unions | 3.90 | 3.80 | 4.30 | 88% |
| Community Banks | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 94% | |
| Banks | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 88% | |
| Texas | Credit Unions | 4.80 | 4.70 | 4.70 | 74% |
| Community Banks | 4.40 | 4.40 | 4.30 | 82% | |
| Banks | 4.50 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 88% | |
| Utah | Credit Unions | 4.60 | 4.70 | 4.80 | 95% |
| Community Banks | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 82% | |
| Banks | 3.90 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 82% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Vermont | Credit Unions | 4.00 | 3.90 | 4.20 | 84% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 85% | |
| Banks | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.60 | 77% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.40 | 4.40 | 90% | |
| Virginia | Credit Unions | 3.70 | 3.70 | 4.00 | 82% |
| Community Banks | 3.70 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 86% | |
| Banks | 3.40 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 83% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.60 | 3.90 | 4.40 | 88% | |
| Washington | Credit Unions | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 92% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 85% | |
| Banks | 3.70 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 85% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 89% | |
| West Virginia | Credit Unions | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 76% |
| Community Banks | 3.60 | 3.70 | 3.50 | 84% | |
| Banks | 4.00 | 4.10 | 3.90 | 88% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 87% | |
| Wisconsin | Credit Unions | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 90% |
| Community Banks | 3.80 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 87% | |
| Banks | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 84% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.80 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 91% | |
| Wyoming | Credit Unions | 4.25 | 4.33 | 4.50 | 88% |
| Community Banks | 3.56 | 3.71 | 3.71 | 80% | |
| Banks | 3.87 | 4.15 | 4.07 | 86% | |
| Online Lenders | 4.50 | 4.50 | 4.40 | 92% |
Source: MFP’s Community Survey of Refinance Lenders by State and Cities.
Most Recommended Type of Refinance Lenders
The table below looks at the most recommended refinance lender Type in each State by looking at the most popular lender in their main metro’s area and cities.
| State | Most Recommended | Community Bank | Bank | Credit Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | Community Bank | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| ALASKA | Credit Union | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| ARIZONA | Credit Union | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| ARKANSAS | Community Bank | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| CALIFORNIA | Credit Union | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| COLORADO | Credit Union | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| CONNECTICUT | Bank | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| DELAWARE | Bank | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| FLORIDA | Credit Union | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| GEORGIA | Community Bank | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| HAWAII | Bank | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| IDAHO | Credit Union | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| ILLINOIS | Credit Union | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| INDIANA | Bank | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| IOWA | Credit Union | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| KANSAS | Credit Union | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| KENTUCKY | Bank | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| LOUISIANA | Credit Union | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| MAINE | Community Bank | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| MARYLAND | Credit Union | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| MASSACHUSETTS | Community Bank | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| MICHIGAN | Bank | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| MINNESOTA | Credit Union | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| MISSISSIPPI | Bank | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| MISSOURI | Bank | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| MONTANA | Community Bank | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| NEBRASKA | Community Bank | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| NEVADA | Bank | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| NEW-HAMPSHIRE | Credit Union | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| NEW-JERSEY | Bank | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| NEW-MEXICO | Community Bank | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| NEW-YORK | Credit Union | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| NORTH-CAROLINA | Bank | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| NORTH-DAKOTA | Bank | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| OHIO | Bank | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| OKLAHOMA | Bank | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| OREGON | Credit Union | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | Community Bank | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| RHODE-ISLAND | Credit Union | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| SOUTH-CAROLINA | Bank | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| SOUTH-DAKOTA | Bank | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| TENNESSEE | Bank | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| TEXAS | Credit Union | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| UTAH | Credit Union | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| VERMONT | Community Bank | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| VIRGINIA | Credit Union | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| WASHINGTON | Credit Union | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| WEST-VIRGINIA | Bank | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| WISCONSIN | Credit Union | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| WYOMING | Bank | 0 | 6 | 2 |
Source: MFP’s Community Survey of Refinance Lenders by State and Cities.
Winning Refinance Lenders
Northeast
The Northeast favors banks. This region has the highest concentration of major financial institutions and densely populated urban centers. Banks dominate because they offer broad services, strong digital platforms, and deep brand presence. Credit unions gain traction in a few states, but community banks have almost no influence.
Takeaway: Homeowners here rely on institutional strength and product range — banks deliver both.
Midwest
The Midwest is split between credit unions and banks. Credit unions lead in more states, reflecting strong cooperative networks and consumer trust. Banks still maintain a presence, especially in urbanized states. Community banks barely lead in any state, showing limited regional influence.
Takeaway: Homeowners weigh competitive rates and personal service (credit unions) against convenience and scale (banks).
South
The South strongly prefers banks. Large regional banks are embedded across urban and rural areas. Their branch networks and reputation for reliability keep them in the lead. Credit unions perform well in populous states like Texas and Florida but do not surpass banks overall. Community banks are largely absent.
Takeaway: Banks win by reach, infrastructure, and deep community integration.
West
The West overwhelmingly supports credit unions. These states show consistent alignment with member-owned lenders. Credit unions dominate in both urban and rural areas due to lower costs, competitive rates, and wide access to shared branching networks. Banks and community banks are rarely preferred.
Takeaway: Credit unions lead by offering better financial value and broader community engagement.
National Summary
- Credit Unions: Most recommended in the West and parts of the Midwest.
- Banks: Lead in the South and Northeast.
- Community Banks: Marginal influence, no regional stronghold.
Final Insight: Homeowner preferences align with lender performance, accessibility, and institutional strength — less tradition.