First · Iowa · 2025

First in Iowa: approval rate, denial rate and rates (2025)

First took 189 mortgage applications in Iowa in 2025, ranking #107 of 739 lenders active in the state. It originated 73.0% of them and denied 9.0% (10.7% of the applications it decided), against a statewide denial rate of 12.9%.

189Applicationsin IA
10.7%Decision denial ratestate 15.3%
6.00%Median ratestate 6.50%
$65,000Median loanstate $135,000
$16MVolume17 counties

First in Iowa vs the state

9.0%Denial rate-3.87 pts vs state
10.7%Decision denial rate-4.62 pts vs state
73.0%Origination rate+4.56 pts vs state
6.00%Median rate-0.50 pts vs state
0.34Rate spread (pts)+0.15 pts vs state
$98kMedian applicant income
138Loans originated
17Denied

Trend in Iowa

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
20232181787.3%7.31%#87
20241178412.0%8.00%#137
20251891389.0%6.00%#107

What First lends in Iowa

By loan purpose

Home purchase 31 16% · 9.7% denied
Refinance 14 7% · 0.0% denied
Cash-out refinance 33 17% · 15.2% denied
Home improvement 16 8% · 0.0% denied
Other / HELOC 95 50% · 9.5% denied

By loan type

Conventional 189 100% · 9.0% denied

Why it denied Iowa applicants

Debt-to-income ratio 9 53%
Credit history 6 35%
Other 1 6%
Collateral 1 6%

Where in Iowa

Counties with the most First applications in 2025.

CountyApplicationsOriginatedDeniedDenial rate
Linn County 1319015 11.5%
Benton County 23211 4.3%
Clay County 1270 0.0%
Johnson County 650 0.0%
Jones County 330 0.0%
Pocahontas County 210 0.0%
Story County 220 0.0%
Osceola County 110 0.0%
Dickinson County 101 100.0%
Louisa County 110 0.0%

Other large lenders in Iowa

LenderGradeApplicationsDenial rateMedian rate
GREENSTATE Credit UnionB 13,8295.9%6.50%
Veridian Credit UnionB 8,7258.9%6.49%
Rocket MortgageC 3,76122.7%6.63%
Hills Bank and TrustA 3,4346.1%6.25%
U.S. BankD 2,72025.7%7.00%
Dupaco CommunityA 2,66916.1%7.00%
Community Choice Credit UnionB 2,65311.8%6.13%
Iowa Bankers MortgageB 2,42315.4%6.50%
Broker SolutionsD 2,3866.4%6.75%
Northwest BankA 2,1815.7%6.38%

Frequently asked questions

Iowa: 189 applications in 2025, of which 138 were originated and 17 denied.

9.0% of all applications, or 10.7% of the applications it actually decided on. The Iowa statewide average across all lenders was 12.9%.

The median rate on loans First originated in Iowa in 2025 was 6.00%, against a statewide median of 6.50%.

About this data. Figures are First's own HMDA filing for properties located in Iowa, 2025. The grade is national; state-level figures are shown for context and are not separately graded. Methodology