Safe Rate Rankings

Best USDA Mortgage Lenders in Wisconsin

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 Lenders270

Total Loans65,281

Median Rate Spread0.31%

Wisconsin Market Insights

Guild Mortgage Company is Safe Rate's top-ranked USDA lender in Wisconsin, leading on pricing, pullthrough, USDA product expertise, and local knowledge.
Bank First and Guild Mortgage Company leads on both USDA pricing and pullthrough, with competitive rates and a strong track record of closing.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #3 in Wisconsin, 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.

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Wisconsin

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By Institution Type

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,582Fees	0.423%Above	1,860
2	Bank First, N.A. BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$242Fees	0.002%Above	655
3	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Exceptional	Strong*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,966Fees	0.178%Above	1,883
4	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,541Fees	0.334%Above	815
5	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,733Fees	0.196%Above	1,160
6	PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,061Fees	0.308%Above	260
7	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,416Fees	0.402%Above	2,513
8	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,930Fees	0.461%Above	626
9	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,897Fees	0.317%Above	741
10	Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,645Fees	0.575%Above	324
11	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,633Fees	0.404%Above	383
12	Westby Co-op Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	—	Strong	Strong	$643Fees	0.057%Above	199
13	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,120Fees	0.566%Above	974
14	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,035Fees	0.638%Above	464
15	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Mediocre*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,197Fees	0.634%Above	336
16	Ixonia Bank BankDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,614Fees	0.578%Above	699

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Wisconsin?+

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 Wisconsin), 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 Wisconsin?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 270 lenders originated a combined 65,281 loans in Wisconsin. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

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