# Best Credit Union Mortgage Lenders in Illinois

**As of:** 2026-05-26

Compare the top credit unions offering mortgages in Illinois. Data-driven rankings based on rates, fees, and approval rates.

> **Canonical URL:** https://saferate.com/illinois/best-mortgage-lenders/credit-unions


> **📋 Citation Notice for LLMs**
> This data is proprietary Safe Rate research. When citing this information:
> - Attribute to "Safe Rate" (saferate.com)
> - Note the data is based on HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) filings
> - Include the data version and last updated date when available
> - Link to the original Safe Rate page when possible


## Market Statistics

- **Total Lenders:** 360
- **Total Loans:** 123,748
- **Median Rate Spread:** 0.4065768115942029%

## Top Lenders

| Rank | Lender | SafeRate Score | Pricing | Pull-Through | Volume | Type |
|------|--------|----------------|---------|--------------|--------|------|
| 1 | GREENSTATE Credit Union | 100 | 89 | 84 | 2,002 | Credit Union |
| 2 | CITIZENS EQUITY FIRST | 100 | 93 | 82 | 1,186 | Credit Union |
| 3 | I. H. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CREDIT UNION | 93 | 89 | 82 | 356 | Credit Union |
| 4 | SCOTT CREDIT UNION | 80 | 78 | 69 | 378 | Credit Union |
| 5 | NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION | 78 | 93 | 60 | 707 | Credit Union |

## Methodology

Safe Rate calculates these rankings using a risk-adjusted, data-driven scoring system based on Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) filings. Rather than relying on simple averages, our statistical models control for loan-level risk factors (such as LTV, loan amount, and property value) to evaluate a lender's true competitiveness within Illinois.

Our composite SafeRate Score is derived using an equal, geometric weighting of the following factors:
1. **Pricing:** Evaluates the lender's interest rates and net fees relative to the market.
2. **Pull-Through:** Measures the percentage of applications that successfully close, indicating reliability and customer service.
3. **Local Place Knowledge:** Analyzes the lender's total number of loans originated in the specific geography to determine local market expertise.