Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Illinois

Updated June 4, 2026

Rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. Safe Rate recommends speaking with 2-3 lenders to find the right fit for your home loan!

⚖️ The 4 PsRankings are calculated based on observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place.

🛡️ No Pay to PlayLenders cannot buy their way to the top. Rankings are 100% earned.

📊 HMDA 2024Built using publicly available originated loan data from the federal government.

🎯 Peer BenchmarkedPerformance is normalized and benchmarked against peer institutions.

Market

Total Lenders360

Total Loans123,748

Median Rate Spread0.41%

Illinois Market Insights

Greenstate Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Illinois, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Illinois: Bank: United Community Bank Il (#4). Credit union: Greenstate Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: United Wholesale Mortgage (#13).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Illinois, Citizens Equity First and Associated Bank National Association scores highest on pricing while Greenstate Credit Union and Inb National Association leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #13 in Illinois, serving as the platform behind many independent local brokers who live and work in the community. A local broker knows the neighborhoods, the local market, and is personally invested in your outcome. Real estate agents often prefer referring local brokers for their accessibility and responsiveness, qualities that matter when a deal is moving fast. Pricing and experience can vary by broker.
Popular names in Illinois: Rocket Mortgage (#22) and Guaranteed Rate (#26), both outside Safe Rate's top 10. Independent lenders and specialists tend to score higher on our composite scorecard.

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

FHA Loans Conventional Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans USDA Loans

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

Shopping for a mortgage? Click the heart icon to save lenders to My Home and make comparison painless.

★ Illinois Exclusive Offer ★

Get a personalized quote from Safe Rate Mortgage (NMLS #1590949). Competitive rates, easy process, and a personal touch.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	GREENSTATE Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$833Fees	0.048%Above	2,002
2	CITIZENS EQUITY FIRST Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$25Credit	0.070%Above	1,186
3	I. H. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$985Fees	0.303%Below	356
4	United Community Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$121Fees	0.128%Above	649
5	FCB Banks BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$715Fees	0.092%Below	566
6	Associated Bank, National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$533Fees	0.096%Above	484
7	INB, National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$640Fees	0.308%Above	653
8	First Mid Bank & Trust, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$872Fees	0.176%Above	741
9	Bank of Springfield BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	$461Fees	0.093%Above	373
10	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$861Fees	0.034%Above	626
11	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$460Fees	0.254%Above	2,055
12	Busey Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$911Fees	0.312%Above	669
13	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,855Fees	0.413%Above	7,352
14	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,634Fees	0.082%Below	1,025
15	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$456Fees	0.440%Below	707
16	Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$252Fees	0.414%Below	295
17	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$745Credit	0.195%Above	2,085
18	FLAT BRANCH MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,201Fees	0.447%Above	1,599
19	FIRST STATE MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,493Fees	0.362%Above	1,052
20	Citibank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,743Credit	0.101%Below	811
21	SCOTT CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$664Fees	0.068%Above	378
22	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,394Fees	0.490%Above	7,176
23	Carrollton Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$776Fees	0.080%Above	365
24	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,688Fees	0.163%Above	6,487
25	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,865Fees	0.657%Above	2,802
26	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,009Fees	0.369%Above	7,686
27	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$188Credit	0.254%Above	784
28	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$339Credit	0.266%Above	1,233
29	MLD MORTGAGE INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$1,971Fees	0.443%Above	526
30	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$762Fees	0.019%Above	338
31	GMFS LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,888Fees	0.500%Above	266
32	A & N MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,570Fees	0.336%Above	1,149
33	Peoples National Bank , N.A. BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$864Fees	0.302%Above	283
34	TOWNE MORTGAGE COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,510Fees	0.539%Above	977
35	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,737Fees	0.680%Above	3,156
36	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,856Fees	0.455%Above	2,395
37	KEY MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,739Fees	0.348%Above	1,273
38	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Exceptional	$336Fees	0.307%Above	963
39	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,040Fees	0.663%Above	815
40	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,823Fees	0.033%Above	781
41	DELMAR FINANCIAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,519Fees	0.434%Above	597
42	Morton Community Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$683Fees	0.460%Above	455
43	Heartland Bank and Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$573Fees	0.471%Above	371
44	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$937Fees	0.633%Above	354
45	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,378Fees	0.587%Above	2,081
46	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,170Fees	0.188%Above	781
47	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$449Fees	0.420%Above	582
48	PROPER RATE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,656Fees	0.268%Above	1,337
49	COMPASS MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,500Fees	0.580%Above	904
50	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,661Fees	0.439%Above	810

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Illinois?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 4 Ps framework, derived entirely from HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data: Pricing (how competitively a lender prices loans vs. the market benchmark), Pullthrough (how effectively a lender closes applications), Place (the lender's depth of expertise in Illinois), and Product (performance on specific loan types). Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0–100. No lender pays to appear in the rankings.

What is the Safe Rate Score?+

The Safe Rate Score is a 0–100 composite index measuring a lender's performance across Pricing, Pullthrough, Place, and Product. Scores of 80 or above earn Champion status; scores of 60–79 earn Superstar status. All scores are calculated from verified HMDA data — no lender can pay to improve their position.

How many mortgage lenders are active in Illinois?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 360 lenders originated a combined 123,748 loans in Illinois. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Illinois?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Illinois is 0.41%. Lenders in Safe Rate's top rankings consistently price below this median, meaning borrowers typically pay less interest over the life of their loan.

What is HMDA data and why does Safe Rate use it?+

HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) is a federal law requiring every mortgage lender to disclose every loan application annually — including rates, amounts, approvals, and denials. Safe Rate uses HMDA because it is government-verified, covers all lenders equally, and cannot be gamed. It is the most objective foundation available for lender rankings.

Does Safe Rate accept payment from lenders to appear in rankings?+

No. Safe Rate rankings are strictly data-driven. No lender can pay to appear in or improve their position in Safe Rate's rankings. The only factor that determines a lender's rank is their verified HMDA performance data.

What is the difference between a bank, credit union, and independent mortgage company?+

Banks and credit unions offer mortgages alongside checking, savings, and other products. Independent Mortgage Companies (IMCs) focus exclusively on originating loans and often offer more product variety and speed. In Illinois's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use a weighted average of scores across equally-weighted categories to evaluate lenders on a linear, raw performance scale.

Our Point System (Max 30 Points)

Pricing

Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)

Pull Through

Reliability in closing loans (33%)

Place

Local market expertise (33%)

Data Integrity & Updates

Data is updated quarterly based on the latest HMDA filings and proprietary SafeRate analysis. All metrics are calculated using standardized methodologies to ensure fair comparison across lenders.

⚖️ Licensing & Disclosures

Lender rankings and market statistics are created by Dylan Hall, licensed mortgage loan officer (NMLS #1658740). Safe Rate is a mortgage technology platform; mortgage lending services are provided by PartnerOwn LLC dba Safe Rate Mortgage, a licensed mortgage broker and lender (NMLS #1590949). Safe Rate Mortgage is a lending partner of some of the lenders ranked on this page, and Safe Rate Inc. has software or service customers on this list; however, all rankings are calculated using objective, public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) datasets, completely independent of any corporate partnerships, client relationships, or compensation.