Largest lenders in Portage County
| # | Lender | Grade | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Covantage Credit Union | B | 286 | 239 | 7.0% | 6.50% |
| 2 | U.S. Bank | D | 179 | 136 | 11.2% | 6.49% |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin Credit Union | A | 138 | 98 | 15.9% | 6.50% |
| 4 | Simplicity | C | 129 | 97 | 8.5% | 7.25% |
| 5 | Associated Bank | B | 104 | 71 | 25.0% | 7.00% |
| 6 | Rocket Mortgage | C | 76 | 58 | 10.5% | 6.88% |
| 7 | BMO Bank | F | 60 | 30 | 30.0% | 8.40% |
| 8 | Valley Communities Credit Union | B | 56 | 43 | 17.9% | 5.99% |
| 9 | Summit Credit Union | A | 54 | 40 | 18.5% | 6.50% |
| 10 | Bank First | A | 53 | 44 | 11.3% | 6.69% |
| 11 | United Shore Financial Services | B | 45 | 34 | 8.9% | 6.50% |
| 12 | Mortgage Research Center | C | 37 | 19 | 10.8% | 6.13% |
| 13 | Old National Bank | B | 35 | 26 | 17.1% | 5.86% |
| 14 | Connexus Credit Union | C | 35 | 22 | 28.6% | 6.49% |
| 15 | Zippy Loans | D | 29 | 6 | 34.5% | 8.00% |
| 16 | Community First | A | 27 | 17 | 18.5% | 5.49% |
| 17 | Pennymac Loan Services | C | 26 | 18 | 3.9% | 6.25% |
| 18 | Woodtrust Bank | – | 24 | 19 | 16.7% | — |
| 19 | Nicolet National Bank | A | 24 | 23 | 0.0% | 6.90% |
| 20 | Prevail Bank | C | 20 | 15 | 0.0% | 6.88% |
| 21 | JPMorgan Chase Bank | B | 18 | 11 | 22.2% | 5.99% |
| 22 | 21st Mortgage | F | 17 | 3 | 82.4% | 9.01% |
| 23 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | B | 17 | 12 | 0.0% | 6.38% |
| 24 | Waterstone Mortgage | C | 17 | 13 | 5.9% | 6.50% |
| 25 | First Federal Bank | B | 16 | 15 | 6.3% | 6.50% |
Best approval odds in Portage County
Lowest decision denial rate among lenders that decided at least 50 applications here in 2025.
| # | Lender | Decided | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Covantage Credit Union | 264 | 7.6% |
| 2 | Simplicity | 108 | 10.2% |
| 3 | Rocket Mortgage | 70 | 11.4% |
| 4 | Bank First | 52 | 11.5% |
| 5 | U.S. Bank | 162 | 12.4% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin Credit Union | 121 | 18.2% |
| 7 | Valley Communities Credit Union | 53 | 18.9% |
| 8 | Summit Credit Union | 51 | 19.6% |
| 9 | Associated Bank | 98 | 26.5% |
| 10 | BMO Bank | 50 | 36.0% |
What Portage County borrowers applied for
By loan purpose
By loan type
Why applications were denied
Portage County by year
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Median loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,650 | 1,143 | 13.0% | 6.88% | $125,000 |
| 2024 | 1,862 | 1,298 | 13.1% | 6.99% | $145,000 |
| 2025 | 2,010 | 1,395 | 14.1% | 6.59% | $155,000 |
Frequently asked questions
14.1% of applications in Portage County were denied in 2025, against 14.0% statewide in Wisconsin.
Covantage Credit Union, with 286 applications in 2025 and a denial rate of 7.0%.
The median mortgage application in Portage County in 2025 was for $155,000; the median property value on originated loans was $305,000.