Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Bank 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

Us Bank National Association is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional bank in Kentucky, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Kentucky, Central Bank Trust and Old National Bank scores highest on Conventional pricing while The Huntington National Bank and Guardian Savings Bank leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Kentucky

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$985Fees	0.356%Above	1,087
2	Central Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$408Fees	0.091%Below	321
3	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,079Credit	0.293%Above	397
4	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$939Fees	0.138%Below	240
5	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$66Fees	0.365%Above	369
6	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,997Fees	0.255%Above	756
7	Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$879Fees	0.133%Above	700
8	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$206Fees	0.232%Above	361
9	Guardian Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,190Fees	0.159%Above	756
10	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$904Fees	0.353%Above	740
11	City National Bank of West Virginia BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$73Credit	0.094%Below	191
12	Northpointe Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,158Fees	0.331%Above	801
13	SOUTH CENTRAL BANK, INC. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,173Fees	0.186%Above	455
14	Peoples Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$634Fees	0.517%Above	110
15	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,839Fees	0.131%Below	103
16	Republic Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$963Fees	0.190%Above	534
17	First Financial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,752Fees	0.362%Above	455
18	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,552Fees	0.151%Above	168
19	Independence Bank of Kentucky BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,441Fees	0.191%Above	294
20	German American Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,010Fees	0.307%Above	204
21	WesBanco Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,612Fees	0.147%Above	144
22	Magnolia Bank, Incorporated BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,615Fees	0.307%Above	671
23	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,930Fees	0.391%Above	195
24	Renasant Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,138Fees	0.146%Above	129
25	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,225Fees	0.461%Above	191
26	The Cecilian Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,458Fees	0.228%Below	188
27	Peoples Exchange Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	Strong	$734Fees	0.036%Above	165
28	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,087Fees	0.511%Above	108
29	Community Trust Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$895Fees	0.162%Above	589
30	Ixonia Bank BankDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,848Fees	0.707%Above	146
31	Traditional Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,012Fees	0.164%Above	209
32	Bank of England BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,142Fees	0.499%Above	328
33	Heartland Bank BankDirect	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$962Fees	0.237%Above	98
34	USAA Federal Savings Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	$1,699Fees	0.172%Below	233
35	Edmonton State Bank BankDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,983Fees	0.718%Above	222
36	Whitaker Bank BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$957Fees	0.230%Below	205
37	The Federal Savings Bank BankDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,070Fees	0.539%Above	101
38	First Southern National Bank BankDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$1,326Fees	0.360%Above	126
39	Forcht Bank, National Association BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Acceptable	Acceptable	Strong	$929Fees	0.319%Above	154

❓ 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 40 Points)

Pricing

Rate and fee competitiveness (25%)

Pull Through

Reliability in closing loans (25%)

Product

Specialization in the loan type (25%)

Place

Local market expertise (25%)

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.