Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Ohio

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 Lenders350

Total Loans133,713

Median Rate Spread0.39%

Ohio Market Insights

Wright Patt Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Ohio, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Ohio: Bank: The Huntington National Bank (#3). Credit union: Wright Patt Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: Victory Mortgage (#2).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Ohio, Navy Federal Credit Union and Victory Mortgage scores highest on pricing while United Wholesale Mortgage and Union Savings Bank Oh leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #10 in Ohio, 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 Ohio: Rocket Mortgage (#14) and The Huntington National Bank (#3).

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	WRIGHT-PATT CREDIT UNION, INC. Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$404Fees	0.385%Below	2,094
2	VICTORY MORTGAGE, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$561Fees	0.144%Below	1,026
3	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$299Fees	0.429%Above	8,206
4	Civista Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$917Fees	0.163%Above	671
5	Union Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$984Fees	0.172%Above	3,119
6	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,057Fees	0.311%Above	1,603
7	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$554Fees	0.414%Below	828
8	LCNB National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$786Fees	0.088%Above	526
9	Third Federal Savings and Loan Association of Cleveland BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$839Fees	0.086%Above	1,805
10	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,404Fees	0.296%Above	5,780
11	KeyBank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,252Fees	0.185%Above	997
12	The State Bank and Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,292Fees	0.061%Above	563
13	RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Exceptional	Strong	—	—	547
14	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,563Fees	0.479%Above	11,005
15	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$610Fees	0.329%Above	3,118
16	First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lakewood BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$966Fees	0.241%Above	836
17	Seven Seventeen Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,654Fees	0.030%Below	439
18	First Commonwealth Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,007Fees	0.192%Above	414
19	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$136Credit	0.211%Above	1,198
20	Premier Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,066Fees	0.405%Above	1,037
21	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,352Fees	0.271%Below	320
22	GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$848Fees	0.028%Above	293
23	THE EQUITABLE MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,601Fees	0.139%Above	570
24	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,299Fees	0.566%Above	1,927
25	Citizens Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$248Fees	0.195%Above	766
26	The Farmers National Bank of Canfield BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,227Fees	0.389%Above	473
27	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,018Fees	0.228%Above	2,884
28	RUOFF MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,213Fees	0.372%Above	1,958
29	The Park National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,325Fees	0.430%Above	1,229
30	First National Bank of Pennsylvania BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,126Fees	0.134%Above	543
31	WesBanco Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,462Fees	0.199%Above	414
32	Guardian Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,124Fees	0.172%Above	405
33	The Union Bank Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,024Fees	0.221%Above	274
34	Peoples Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$781Fees	0.261%Above	337
35	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,704Fees	0.644%Above	2,434
36	HOWARD HANNA FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,332Fees	0.349%Above	1,621
37	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,246Fees	0.465%Above	1,071
38	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,000Fees	0.461%Above	999
39	First Financial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,522Fees	0.441%Above	914
40	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,137Fees	0.514%Above	512
41	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,254Fees	0.761%Above	3,651
42	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,386Fees	0.294%Above	2,530
43	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,553Fees	0.064%Above	845
44	EQUITY RESOURCES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,605Fees	0.389%Above	728
45	MECHANICS BANK BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$821Fees	0.009%Below	309
46	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,154Fees	0.448%Above	298
47	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,360Fees	0.722%Above	8,629
48	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,004Fees	0.585%Above	2,217
49	M/I FINANCIAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,018Fees	0.017%Above	1,006
50	FIRST OHIO HOME FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Sound	Exceptional	—	—	638

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Ohio?+

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 Ohio), 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 Ohio?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 350 lenders originated a combined 133,713 loans in Ohio. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Ohio is 0.39%. 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 Ohio'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.