Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Madison

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 Lenders65

Total Loans7,150

Median Rate Spread0.13%

Madison Market Insights

University of Wisconsin Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Madison, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Madison: Bank: Johnson Bank (#3). Credit union: University of Wisconsin Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: Thompson Kane Company (#11).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Madison, Associated Bank National Association and The Park Bank scores highest on pricing while Johnson Bank and Dupaco Community leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #15 in Madison, 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 Madison: Rocket Mortgage (#18) and University of Wisconsin Credit Union (#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	University of Wisconsin Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$301Fees	0.127%Above	1,316
2	Summit Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$146Fees	0.137%Below	1,027
3	Johnson Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$570Fees	0.059%Below	176
4	The Park Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$309Fees	0.082%Below	151
5	Lake Ridge Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$457Fees	0.031%Above	178
6	Associated Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$790Fees	0.205%Below	70
7	The Bank of New Glarus BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$583Fees	0.275%Above	240
8	Bank First, N.A. BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$346Fees	0.010%Above	29
9	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,328Fees	0.089%Below	97
10	DUPACO COMMUNITY Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$2,043Fees	0.461%Below	25
11	THOMPSON KANE & COMPANY, INC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,773Fees	0.279%Above	549
12	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$29Credit	0.123%Above	139
13	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,001Fees	0.607%Below	29
14	Bank Five Nine BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,221Fees	0.001%Below	36
15	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,854Fees	0.011%Below	126
16	Heartland Credit Union (Madison) Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$486Fees	0.027%Above	64
17	Bell Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,966Fees	0.097%Above	240
18	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$4,143Fees	0.325%Above	191
19	Wings Financial Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$784Fees	0.052%Below	46
20	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,134Fees	0.016%Above	444
21	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,020Fees	0.075%Above	438
22	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,528Fees	0.334%Above	30
23	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,041Fees	0.130%Above	148
24	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,773Fees	0.489%Above	64
25	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,621Fees	0.240%Above	237
26	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,116Fees	0.136%Above	88
27	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	$3,590Fees	0.183%Above	40
28	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,087Fees	0.079%Below	31
29	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	$520Fees	0.263%Above	36
30	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	$1,548Credit	0.006%Below	20
31	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	$555Fees	0.166%Below	21
32	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	—	—	57
33	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$2,488Fees	0.145%Above	33
34	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	$1,484Fees	0.022%Below	26
35	One Community Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	$1,029Fees	0.249%Above	36
36	Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$822Fees	0.183%Below	23
37	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$2,971Fees	0.536%Above	70
38	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Sound	Sound	$1,755Fees	0.121%Above	66
39	Ixonia Bank BankDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Sound	$3,354Fees	0.375%Above	60
40	Bank of England BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$1,102Fees	0.502%Above	20
41	Synergy One Lending, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$3,219Fees	0.506%Above	23
42	COMPEER FINANCIAL, FLCA Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Acceptable	Mediocre	Sound	Sound	$3,241Fees	0.731%Above	27

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Madison, WI?+

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 Madison, WI), 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 Madison, WI?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 65 lenders originated a combined 7,150 loans in Madison, WI. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Madison, WI?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Madison, WI is 0.13%. 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 Madison, WI'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.