Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Cambridge

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 Lenders159

Total Loans19,398

Median Rate Spread0.10%

Cambridge Market Insights

Leader Bank National Association is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Cambridge, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Cambridge: Bank: Leader Bank National Association (#1). Credit union: Harvard University Employees (#10). Mortgage company: United Wholesale Mortgage (#11).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Cambridge, Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association and Institution for Savings in Newburyport and Its Vicinity scores highest on pricing while Leader Bank National Association and Manufacturers and Traders Trust leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #11 in Cambridge, 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 Cambridge: Rocket Mortgage (#14) and Leader Bank National Association (#1).

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

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.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	Leader Bank, National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$876Fees	0.132%Below	1,491
2	Cambridge Savings Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$818Fees	0.272%Below	270
3	Berkshire Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$152Credit	0.224%Below	247
4	Institution for Savings in Newburyport and Its Vicinity BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$921Fees	0.388%Below	255
5	Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,466Fees	0.013%Below	92
6	Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$341Fees	0.531%Below	113
7	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,758Credit	0.215%Below	314
8	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$827Fees	0.244%Below	250
9	Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$43Credit	0.116%Below	302
10	HARVARD UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$414Fees	0.028%Above	74
11	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,524Fees	0.328%Above	853
12	JEANNE D'ARC Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,063Fees	0.138%Below	144
13	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$442Fees	0.615%Below	90
14	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,767Fees	0.143%Above	1,004
15	Rockland Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,335Fees	0.213%Below	199
16	Eastern Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,358Fees	0.151%Below	161
17	MERRIMACK VALLEY Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$526Fees	0.325%Below	81
18	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,571Fees	0.056%Above	1,876
19	SALEM FIVE MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,818Fees	0.042%Above	665
20	Citizens Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$982Fees	0.034%Below	264
21	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$322Fees	0.183%Below	58
22	MSA MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Strong	Exceptional	—	—	232
23	Easthampton Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$688Fees	0.087%Below	87
24	Citibank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$82Fees	0.340%Below	82
25	METRO Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,054Fees	0.146%Below	80
26	The Bank of Canton BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2Fees	0.040%Above	44
27	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,287Fees	0.152%Above	614
28	HARBORONE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,540Fees	0.036%Below	162
29	Needham Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$393Credit	0.003%Above	50
30	ROCKLAND Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$456Fees	0.374%Below	49
31	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,975Fees	0.130%Below	305
32	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,909Fees	0.285%Above	182
33	General Mortgage Capital Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,424Fees	0.156%Above	67
34	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,543Fees	0.311%Above	334
35	AMERANT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,079Fees	0.158%Above	126
36	KEYSTONE FUNDING, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	$818Fees	0.280%Above	54
37	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,434Fees	0.293%Above	1,399
38	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,442Fees	0.192%Above	447
39	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,460Fees	0.193%Above	425
40	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,577Fees	0.110%Above	133
41	Colorado Federal Savings Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Strong*	Sound	Strong	$727Fees	0.026%Below	63
42	MLD MORTGAGE INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Sound	$5Fees	0.012%Below	51
43	NEW FED MORTGAGE, CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,304Fees	0.331%Above	217
44	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,796Fees	0.026%Above	109
45	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,167Fees	0.033%Below	80
46	MASS. INSTITUTE OF TECH. FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Acceptable	Strong	$1,008Fees	0.040%Below	59
47	NATIONS DIRECT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$84Credit	0.045%Above	135
48	DIGITAL Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Acceptable	Strong	$556Fees	0.032%Below	129
49	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$411Fees	0.198%Below	125
50	Evolve Bank & Trust BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,568Fees	0.166%Above	58

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Cambridge?+

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 Cambridge), 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 Cambridge?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 159 lenders originated a combined 19,398 loans in Cambridge. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Cambridge is 0.10%. 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 Cambridge'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.