Safest Banks in North Carolina 2026
North Carolina has 36 FDIC-insured banks with an average Bank Health Score of 82/100 (A). The safest bank is Cedar Hill National Bank with a score of 100/100.
Data from FDIC Q2 2024
36 North Carolina 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.
North Carolina's 36 FDIC-insured banks hold a combined $3.3T in assets. Their average Bank Health Score of 82/100 sits 2.0 points above the national average of 80/100. Across the state, 92% of banks earn an A or B grade for financial health, while 0% fall to a D or F.
The largest bank headquartered in North Carolina is Bank of America NA with $2.6T in assets and a Bank Health Score of 88/100. The strongest by score is Cedar Hill National Bank in Charlotte (100/100, Tier 1 capital 96.96%). The weakest is Live Oak Banking Co at 59/100, dragged down by an NPL ratio of 2.32%.
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 North Carolina
Cedar Hill National Bank
Charlotte, NC
North Carolina's top-rated bank, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 96.96% — well above the federal "well-capitalized" threshold of 8%. Holds $15M in assets.
Tiaa Trust National Assn
Charlotte, NC
Second-strongest in the state on capital and loan quality. NPL ratio sits at 0.00% with $250M in total assets.
Morganton Savings Bank SSB
Morganton, NC
Third in the rankings on the Bank Health Score. Liquidity ratio of 29.49% and ROA of 1.84%.
Top 20 of 36 Banks in North Carolina
| # | Bank | City | Grade | Score | Tier 1 Capital | NPL Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Hill National Bank | Charlotte | A | 100 | 96.96% | 0.00% |
| 2 | Tiaa Trust National Assn | Charlotte | A | 100 | 89.83% | 0.00% |
| 3 | Morganton Savings Bank SSB | Morganton | A | 98 | 26.45% | 0.10% |
| 4 | Roxboro Savings Bank SSB | Roxboro | A | 95 | 41.37% | 0.33% |
| 5 | Mechanics&Farmers Bank | Durham | A | 94 | 24.56% | 0.40% |
| 6 | Fidelity Bank | Fuquay Varina | A | 92 | 13.63% | 0.64% |
| 7 | Riverside Savings Bank SSB | Roanoke Rapids | A | 92 | 18.31% | 0.00% |
| 8 | Piedmont FSB | Winston Salem | A | 90 | 18.63% | 0.05% |
| 9 | Jackson Savings Bank SSB | Sylva | A | 90 | 53.35% | 0.41% |
| 10 | First-Citizens Bank&Trust Co | Raleigh | A | 89 | 13.67% | 0.93% |
| 11 | Southern Bank&Trust Co | Mount Olive | A | 89 | 12.49% | 0.21% |
| 12 | First FSB of Lincolnton | Lincolnton | A | 88 | 32.80% | 0.36% |
| 13 | Lifestore Bank | West Jefferson | A | 88 | 17.41% | 1.28% |
| 14 | Bank of America NA | Charlotte | A | 88 | 13.53% | 0.74% |
| 15 | American Bk of the Carolinas | Monroe | A | 88 | 13.29% | 0.00% |
| 16 | Uwharrie Bank | Albemarle | A | 87 | 11.78% | 0.25% |
| 17 | First Savings&Loan Assn | Mebane | A | 86 | 53.61% | 0.23% |
| 18 | Truist Bank | Charlotte | A | 84 | 13.11% | 0.62% |
| 19 | Lumbee Guaranty Bank | Pembroke | A | 83 | 11.08% | 0.36% |
| 20 | Triad Business Bank | Greensboro | A | 83 | 12.43% | 0.00% |
Bank Health Scores for North Carolina 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, Cedar Hill National Bank in Charlotte is currently the safest bank in North Carolina with a score of 100/100 (Grade A). It posts a Tier 1 capital ratio of 96.96% and a nonperforming loan ratio of 0.00%.
North Carolina has 36 FDIC-insured banks with a combined $3.3T in total assets. The average Bank Health Score across the state is 82/100 (Grade A).
North Carolina's average Bank Health Score of 82/100 is 2.0 points above the national average of 80/100. 92% of banks in North Carolina earn an A or B grade, compared with the national average grade of A.
Of 36 FDIC-insured banks headquartered in North Carolina, 21 earn an A, 12 a B, 3 a C, 0 a D, and 0 an F. The most common grade is A.
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%).