Largest lenders in Howard County
| # | Lender | Grade | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Farmers Bank & Trust | C | 253 | 169 | 16.2% | 7.13% |
| 2 | SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY Federal Credit Union | C | 239 | 149 | 19.3% | 7.50% |
| 3 | Ruoff Mortgage Company | A | 208 | 166 | 1.4% | 6.88% |
| 4 | Rocket Mortgage | C | 188 | 137 | 20.2% | 6.88% |
| 5 | Plaza Home Mortgage | C | 160 | 123 | 17.5% | 6.50% |
| 6 | Gvc Mortgage | B | 137 | 113 | 2.2% | 6.75% |
| 7 | Mortgage Research Center | C | 119 | 61 | 26.1% | 6.25% |
| 8 | Mjw Financial | A | 116 | 80 | 2.6% | 6.75% |
| 9 | BMO Bank | F | 114 | 63 | 23.7% | 8.23% |
| 10 | Community First Bank of Indiana | B | 108 | 85 | 9.3% | 6.88% |
| 11 | Freedom Mortgage | B | 99 | 44 | 15.2% | 6.31% |
| 12 | STAR Financial Bank | C | 96 | 56 | 30.2% | 6.31% |
| 13 | Zippy Loans | D | 94 | 32 | 38.3% | 8.00% |
| 14 | PNC Bank | D | 82 | 42 | 34.2% | 7.71% |
| 15 | Luminate Bank | B | 82 | 63 | 1.2% | 7.00% |
| 16 | Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance | F | 77 | 62 | 2.6% | 5.63% |
| 17 | The Huntington National Bank | D | 74 | 52 | 12.2% | 6.88% |
| 18 | United Shore Financial Services | B | 73 | 51 | 21.9% | 6.13% |
| 19 | FINANCIAL BUILDERS Federal Credit Union | – | 71 | 71 | 0.0% | 7.75% |
| 20 | KeyBank | C | 67 | 39 | 26.9% | 6.63% |
| 21 | Newrez | D | 62 | 19 | 14.5% | 6.25% |
| 22 | Loandepot.Com | D | 57 | 27 | 38.6% | 6.88% |
| 23 | Pennymac Loan Services | C | 52 | 23 | 7.7% | 5.99% |
| 24 | Broker Solutions | D | 50 | 14 | 8.0% | 6.75% |
| 25 | Horizon Bank | A | 46 | 26 | 32.6% | 6.00% |
Best approval odds in Howard County
Lowest decision denial rate among lenders that decided at least 50 applications here in 2025.
| # | Lender | Decided | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FINANCIAL BUILDERS Federal Credit Union | 71 | 0.0% |
| 2 | Luminate Bank | 64 | 1.6% |
| 3 | Ruoff Mortgage Company | 190 | 1.6% |
| 4 | Gvc Mortgage | 117 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance | 64 | 3.1% |
| 6 | Mjw Financial | 83 | 3.6% |
| 7 | Community First Bank of Indiana | 96 | 10.4% |
| 8 | The Huntington National Bank | 61 | 14.8% |
| 9 | First Farmers Bank & Trust | 241 | 17.0% |
| 10 | Plaza Home Mortgage | 151 | 18.5% |
What Howard County borrowers applied for
By loan purpose
By loan type
Why applications were denied
Howard County by year
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Median loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3,145 | 1,917 | 18.8% | 7.13% | $105,000 |
| 2024 | 3,552 | 2,249 | 16.7% | 7.13% | $115,000 |
| 2025 | 4,009 | 2,430 | 18.2% | 6.88% | $125,000 |
Frequently asked questions
18.2% of applications in Howard County were denied in 2025, against 16.6% statewide in Indiana.
First Farmers Bank & Trust, with 253 applications in 2025 and a denial rate of 16.2%.
The median mortgage application in Howard County in 2025 was for $125,000; the median property value on originated loans was $205,000.