Credit Union Mortgage Rates: Compare 125+ CUs Daily

Credit unions can offer better mortgage rates compared to big banks because they’re member-owned, non-profit lenders. Here’s our daily-updated comparison from 125+ credit unions to help you find the best rates. (Why?)

Why build this dashboard?

When we bought our home, the big bank I’d been using for years tried to sell me on a mortgage with 7% APR. Turns out a local credit union was offering 5.5% for the exact same mortgage.

What surprised me most wasn’t that there were cheaper options, but that two mortgages can be exactly the same product, just with different packaging.

In the USA, the government buys the majority of mortgages, requiring them to be standardized. So why the price difference? As explored in this Bloomberg Odd Lots episode about credit card rates, higher rates are mostly to pay for advertising and marketing. Big banks have marketing departments that non-profit credit unions don’t have. Without big marketing budgets, credit union rates aren’t always easy to find.

That “exclusive” inbox offer from Chase or Wells Fargo isn’t generosity. It’s a bet that you won’t shop around. My goal with this tool is simple: help people realize they have options and potentially save thousands of dollars a year.

How the dashboard works

It’s a little involved! 😅

1. Rates are collected throughout the day from the websites of approximately 125 credit unions.
2. National benchmarks come from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, aka FRED: 30-Year Fixed benchmark (15Y). These update weekly.
3. Credit union eligibility data is manually curated from individual institution websites.

Some rates (around a dozen) are hidden by default because they’re statistical outliers: likely errors or ultra-specialized products. Toggle “Show outliers” in the filters if you want to see them anyway.

Found an error? Email blog@finfam.app.

Next Steps: Make Decisions, Get Quotes

Our dashboard can only take you so far. Your actual rate depends on: credit score, down payment (20%+ is ideal), property type (primary residence gets best rates), and whether you pay points for a lower rate (always compare APR).

Next step: Get quotes from multiple lenders by using the rate table above to contact institutions.

Still not sure about buying or refinancing? Check out these interactive guides:

• How much can I save by using a credit union mortgage instead of a bank?
• Should I refinance my mortgage or invest in the market?
• Rent vs Buy calculator

FinFam is built around collaborative financial planning, including community-authored, spreadsheet-powered guides, like those above. Read more in our docs.

Recent Changes & Feedback

Rates are updated multiple times a week, even throughout the day in some cases. Here we’ll detail updates to the dashboard functionality.

Don’t see your favorite CU here, or have questions about these rates or suggestions for improving this tool? Reach out to us at blog@finfam.app.

For new CUs, be sure to include a link to the CU’s public rates page and also a link to the eligibility requirements page.

Disclaimers

FinFam has no institutional affiliation and receives no referral fees, nor provides any guarantees. This list does not (and can not) cover every credit union, and thus may not be fully representative of the market. These rates are informational only and don’t represent rate locks. Your actual rate will vary. Contact lenders with the links in the rate table to get your personalized quotes.

Are credit unions better than banks for mortgages?

It depends! Credit unions can and often do offer lower rates, but not always. Big banks might close faster and have slicker digital experiences. We dig into the data and trade-offs in The Lazy Tax: Why Big Bank Mortgages Cost More.

Beyond rates, credit unions often offer unique products you won’t find at big banks:

• The 15/15 ARM: A hidden gem that offers lower rates than 30Y fixed with 15 years of rate stability—perfect if you plan to move or refinance within a decade.
• Portfolio Lending & Rate Drops: Some credit unions hold loans in-house, letting you drop your rate without a full refinance when rates fall.

More from our credit union mortgage series

• The Lazy Tax: Why Big Bank Mortgages Cost More
• The 15/15 ARM: A Credit Union Hidden Gem
• The Magic of Portfolio Lending: Rate Drops Without Refinancing

See also

See /r/dataisbeautiful and Hacker News for discussions. And big thanks to Asheesh Laroia for his guidance on the matter of mortgages. See his spreadsheet-friendly take on the data.