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Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Peoria

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 5 PsRankings are calculated from observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place, plus Promptness when a lender has answered real shopper quote requests.
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.
Total Lenders45
Total Loans3,777
Median Rate Spread0.51%
Peoria Market Insights
  • Citizens Equity First is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Peoria, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
  • Top-ranked by institution type in Peoria: Bank: Inb National Association (#3). Credit union: Citizens Equity First (#1). Mortgage company: Flat Branch Mortgage (#2).
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Peoria, Citizens Equity First and Us Bank National Association scores highest on pricing while United Wholesale Mortgage and Flat Branch Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
  • United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #5 in Peoria, 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 Peoria: Rocket Mortgage (#13) and Citizens Equity First (#1).

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Shopping for a mortgage? Hit Get Quote on any lender to add it to My Home and request real quotes.

Peoria Exclusive Offer

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1
CEF
Citizens Equity First
Credit UnionDirect
Overall
Exceptional
Avg Fees
$30Credit
2
FBM
Flat Branch Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,295Fees
3
IN
Inb
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$589Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$700Fees
5
UWM
United Wholesale Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesaleResponds to quote requests promptly
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,096Fees
6
MM
MLD Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,548Fees
7
BB
Busey Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$835Fees
8
FSMS
First State Mortgage Services
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,335Fees
9
FB
Fortress Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$504Fees
10
MCB
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$699Fees
11
PBN
PNC Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$394Fees
12
PFA
Provident Funding Associates
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,482Fees
13
RM
Rocket Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & WholesaleHasn't responded yet
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,028Fees
14
JCBN
JPMorgan Chase Bank
BankDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,673Fees
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$245Fees
16
MRC
Mortgage Research Center
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,290Fees
17
WFBN
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,100Fees
18
TM
Towne Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,479Fees
19
LC
loanDepot
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,761Fees
20
CB
CIBM Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,840Fees
21
CBT
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,187Fees
22
N
NewRez
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,538Fees
23
FIM
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,483Fees
24
LF
Leaderone Financial Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,877Fees
25
APM
American Pacific Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,947Fees
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,335Fees
27
CB
Commerce Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$430Fees
28
NAF
New American Funding
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,596Fees
29
FSB
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,058Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Peoria, IL?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 5 Ps framework. Four are derived 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 Peoria, IL), and Product (performance on specific loan types). The fifth, Promptness, is behavioral: it credits lenders who answer real shopper quote requests quickly. Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0 to 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 Peoria, IL?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 45 lenders originated a combined 3,777 loans in Peoria, IL. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Peoria, IL?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Peoria, IL is 0.51%. 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 Peoria, IL's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use an equal-weight average of scores across our core categories (Pricing, Product, Pull-Through, Place), with lender promptness blended in when a lender has responded to real shopper quote requests.

Our Point System (Max 30 Points)

10/ 30 pts
Pricing
Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)
10/ 30 pts
Pull Through
Reliability in closing loans (33%)
10/ 30 pts
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.