Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Milwaukee

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 Lenders129

Total Loans16,440

Median Rate Spread0.31%

Milwaukee Market Insights

Johnson Bank is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Milwaukee, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Milwaukee: Bank: Johnson Bank (#1). Credit union: Educators Credit Union (#2). Mortgage company: Wisconsin Mortgage (#10).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Milwaukee, Educators Credit Union and Associated Bank National Association scores highest on pricing while Johnson Bank and Bank Five Nine leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #15 in Milwaukee, 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 Milwaukee: Rocket Mortgage (#18) and Landmark Credit Union (#4).

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	Johnson Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$379Fees	0.119%Above	462
2	EDUCATORS CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$11Fees	0.138%Below	414
3	Associated Bank, National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$425Fees	0.055%Below	569
4	Landmark Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$555Fees	0.043%Above	1,064
5	University of Wisconsin Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$261Fees	0.158%Above	692
6	Summit Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$30Credit	0.075%Below	505
7	Bank Five Nine BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$919Fees	0.210%Above	567
8	The Equitable Bank, S.S.B. BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$656Fees	0.023%Above	197
9	Waukesha State Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$337Fees	0.149%Above	313
10	WISCONSIN MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$923Fees	0.147%Above	251
11	Bank First, N.A. BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$294Fees	0.049%Above	40
12	A + MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,306Fees	0.313%Above	373
13	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$264Fees	0.144%Above	230
14	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$927Fees	0.065%Below	96
15	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,738Fees	0.258%Above	590
16	Great Midwest Bank, S.S.B. BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$523Fees	0.202%Above	277
17	National Exchange Bank and Trust BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	$71Fees	0.041%Above	43
18	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,758Fees	0.377%Above	815
19	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$597Fees	0.433%Below	58
20	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,105Fees	0.335%Above	197
21	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,562Fees	0.337%Above	306
22	FIRST STATE MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$658Fees	0.353%Above	92
23	Westbury Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$282Fees	0.204%Below	43
24	Glacier Hills Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$399Fees	0.402%Below	36
25	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$927Fees	0.102%Above	85
26	PyraMax Bank, FSB BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$719Fees	0.134%Above	82
27	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,765Fees	0.472%Above	953
28	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,927Fees	0.133%Above	357
29	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,334Fees	0.367%Above	114
30	PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,813Fees	0.325%Above	118
31	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,713Fees	0.675%Above	248
32	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$39Credit	0.300%Above	160
33	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,955Fees	0.458%Above	126
34	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,876Fees	0.484%Above	110
35	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$304Credit	0.167%Above	56
36	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,497Fees	0.357%Above	408
37	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,432Fees	0.142%Above	225
38	Bell Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,949Fees	0.452%Above	153
39	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,763Fees	0.372%Above	102
40	TRUSTONE FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$758Fees	0.119%Above	54
41	Citizens Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$318Fees	0.031%Above	43
42	Tri City National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,147Fees	0.208%Above	103
43	KOHLER CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$819Fees	0.106%Below	42
44	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,716Fees	0.241%Above	220
45	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,894Fees	0.251%Above	172
46	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$758Fees	0.080%Above	77
47	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,133Fees	0.067%Above	65
48	Bank of England BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,103Fees	0.466%Above	279
49	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$4,604Fees	0.492%Above	101
50	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$1,585Fees	0.469%Above	96

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Milwaukee?+

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 Milwaukee), 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 Milwaukee?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 129 lenders originated a combined 16,440 loans in Milwaukee. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Milwaukee is 0.31%. 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 Milwaukee'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.