Safest Banks in Iowa 2026
Iowa has 162 FDIC-insured banks with an average Bank Health Score of 68/100 (B). The safest bank is Citizens 1st Nb Storm Lake with a score of 98/100.
Data from FDIC Q2 2024
162 Iowa banks are ranked below by the BankHealth composite score. The composite weights Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), inverted non-performing loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%) into a 0-100 grade.
Top-of-list banks combine strong capital with clean loan books and reasonable profitability. Bottom-of-list banks face pressure on one or more scoring factors — most often elevated NPL ratios or thin profitability margins. Each bank links to its full profile with multi-quarter trend charts, the four composite factor breakdowns, and the underlying FDIC Call Report data.
Iowa's 162 FDIC-insured banks hold a combined $96.5B in assets. Their average Bank Health Score of 68/100 sits 2.0 points below the national average of 70/100. Across the state, 51% of banks earn an A or B grade for financial health, while 14% fall to a D or F.
The largest bank headquartered in Iowa is Principal Bank with $8.7B in assets and a Bank Health Score of 96/100. The strongest by score is Citizens 1st Nb Storm Lake in Storm Lake (98/100, Tier 1 capital 21.13%). The weakest is Clinton National Bank at 27/100, dragged down by an NPL ratio of 5.18%.
All scores below come from the latest FDIC BankFind Call Report (Q2 2024). The Bank Health Score weights Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%) — the four metrics regulators watch most closely when judging whether a bank is well-capitalized. Every bank with FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor per ownership category, but the score helps you tell apart banks that are comfortably well-capitalized from those operating closer to the line.
Top 3 Safest Banks in Iowa
Citizens 1st Nb Storm Lake
Storm Lake, IA
Iowa's top-rated bank, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 21.13% — well above the federal "well-capitalized" threshold of 8%. Holds $240M in assets.
Farmers Savings Bank&Trust
Traer, IA
Second-strongest in the state on capital and loan quality. NPL ratio sits at 0.00% with $205M in total assets.
Principal Bank
Des Moines, IA
Third in the rankings on the Bank Health Score. Liquidity ratio of 70.61% and ROA of 1.78%.
Top 20 of 162 Banks in Iowa
| # | Bank | City | Grade | Score | Tier 1 Capital | NPL Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citizens 1st Nb Storm Lake | Storm Lake | A | 98 | 21.13% | 0.35% |
| 2 | Farmers Savings Bank&Trust | Traer | A | 97 | 17.51% | 0.00% |
| 3 | Principal Bank | Des Moines | A | 96 | 17.87% | 0.48% |
| 4 | New Albin Savings Bank | New Albin | A | 96 | 42.18% | 0.01% |
| 5 | Citizens Savings Bank | Anamosa | A | 95 | 19.51% | 0.00% |
| 6 | Sibley State Bank | Sibley | A | 95 | 14.36% | 0.01% |
| 7 | Northstar Bank | Estherville | A | 95 | 15.94% | 0.00% |
| 8 | Earlham Savings Bank | West des Moines | A | 95 | 16.39% | 0.01% |
| 9 | Bank 1st | West Union | A | 94 | 24.37% | 0.30% |
| 10 | Northeast Security Bank | Sumner | A | 94 | 14.59% | 0.05% |
| 11 | Community Bank of Oelwein | Oelwein | A | 94 | 17.10% | 0.00% |
| 12 | First Nb of Manning | Manning | A | 94 | 33.01% | 0.00% |
| 13 | Iowa State Savings Bank | Creston | A | 94 | 14.41% | 0.20% |
| 14 | Security Trust&Savings Bank | Storm Lake | A | 94 | 29.57% | 0.04% |
| 15 | Ashton State Bank | Ashton | A | 93 | 15.79% | 0.30% |
| 16 | Guthrie County State Bank | Panora | A | 93 | 18.39% | 0.11% |
| 17 | First Nb of Primghar | Primghar | A | 93 | 17.92% | 0.00% |
| 18 | Capra Bank | Dubuque | A | 92 | 17.46% | 0.13% |
| 19 | Farmers&Merchants Sb | Iowa City | A | 91 | 15.78% | 0.06% |
| 20 | Security Savings Bank | Gowrie | A | 91 | 13.77% | 0.02% |
Bank Health Scores for Iowa are calculated from FDIC Call Report data including Tier 1 capital ratios, nonperforming loan ratios, liquidity ratios, and return on assets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our Bank Health Score analysis of FDIC data, Citizens 1st Nb Storm Lake in Storm Lake is currently the safest bank in Iowa with a score of 98/100 (Grade A). It posts a Tier 1 capital ratio of 21.13% and a nonperforming loan ratio of 0.35%.
Iowa has 162 FDIC-insured banks with a combined $96.5B in total assets. The average Bank Health Score across the state is 68/100 (Grade B).
Iowa's average Bank Health Score of 68/100 is 2.0 points below the national average of 70/100. 51% of banks in Iowa earn an A or B grade, compared with the national average grade of B.
Of 162 FDIC-insured banks headquartered in Iowa, 48 earn an A, 34 a B, 58 a C, 18 a D, and 4 an F. The most common grade is B.
The Bank Health Score (0-100) is based on four FDIC-reported metrics: Tier 1 capital ratio (35% weight), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%). Higher scores indicate stronger financial health. Every score uses the latest FDIC Call Report data.
Bank Health Scores are computed from quarterly FDIC Call Report data. Tier 1 capital ratio (35%), nonperforming loan ratio (30%), liquidity ratio (25%), and return on assets (10%).