Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Kentucky

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 Lenders229

Total Loans45,654

Median Rate Spread0.35%

Kentucky Market Insights

Victory Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Kentucky, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Kentucky: Bank: Central Bank Trust (#2). Credit union: Abound Federal Credit Union (#3). Mortgage company: Victory Mortgage (#1).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Kentucky, Central Bank Trust and Navy Federal Credit Union scores highest on pricing while United Wholesale Mortgage and Liberty leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #7 in Kentucky, 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 Kentucky: Rocket Mortgage (#12) and Stockton Mortgage (#32), 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.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	VICTORY MORTGAGE, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$897Fees	0.033%Above	782
2	Central Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$408Fees	0.091%Below	321
3	Abound Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$227Credit	0.162%Below	375
4	Liberty Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,087Fees	0.376%Above	1,083
5	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$985Fees	0.356%Above	1,087
6	Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$879Fees	0.133%Above	700
7	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,197Fees	0.428%Above	3,600
8	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$939Fees	0.138%Below	240
9	SOUTH CENTRAL BANK, INC. BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,173Fees	0.186%Above	455
10	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$585Fees	0.460%Below	358
11	Park Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$57Fees	0.163%Below	165
12	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,455Fees	0.463%Above	3,590
13	Guardian Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,190Fees	0.159%Above	756
14	Republic Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$963Fees	0.190%Above	534
15	COMMONWEALTH Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$652Fees	0.086%Below	264
16	Peoples Exchange Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$734Fees	0.036%Above	165
17	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,079Credit	0.293%Above	397
18	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,775Fees	0.513%Above	746
19	FBC MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Strong	$2,314Fees	0.182%Above	196
20	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$904Fees	0.353%Above	740
21	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$66Fees	0.365%Above	369
22	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$1,755Fees	0.004%Below	291
23	Magnolia Bank, Incorporated BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,615Fees	0.307%Above	671
24	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$206Fees	0.232%Above	361
25	City National Bank of West Virginia BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$73Credit	0.094%Below	191
26	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,839Fees	0.131%Below	103
27	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,178Fees	0.393%Above	709
28	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,025Fees	0.451%Above	177
29	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,997Fees	0.255%Above	756
30	RUOFF MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,939Fees	0.361%Above	685
31	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$3,196Fees	0.140%Above	156
32	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,888Fees	0.437%Above	2,284
33	Northpointe Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$3,158Fees	0.331%Above	801
34	First Financial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,752Fees	0.362%Above	455
35	WesBanco Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,612Fees	0.147%Above	144
36	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,366Fees	0.493%Above	463
37	INTERLINC MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,509Fees	0.596%Above	328
38	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,164Fees	0.414%Above	304
39	German American Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,010Fees	0.307%Above	204
40	THE MORTGAGE WAREHOUSE,LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,580Fees	0.260%Above	119
41	Peoples Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$634Fees	0.517%Above	110
42	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,949Fees	0.626%Above	1,311
43	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,632Fees	0.013%Above	352
44	Independence Bank of Kentucky BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,441Fees	0.191%Above	294
45	FIRST EQUITY MORTGAGE INCORPORATED Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$838Fees	0.362%Above	273
46	REPUBLIC STATE MORTGAGE CO. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,957Fees	0.470%Above	246
47	GoPrime Mortgage, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,521Fees	0.509%Above	95
48	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,493Fees	0.369%Above	402
49	Traditional Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,012Fees	0.164%Above	209
50	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$2,920Fees	0.395%Above	206

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Kentucky?+

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 Kentucky), 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 Kentucky?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 229 lenders originated a combined 45,654 loans in Kentucky. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Kentucky is 0.35%. 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 Kentucky'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.