Safest Banks in Vermont 2026
Vermont has 11 FDIC-insured banks with an average Bank Health Score of 75/100 (B). The safest bank is Wells River Savings Bank with a score of 90/100.
Data from FDIC Q2 2024
11 Vermont 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.
Vermont's 11 FDIC-insured banks hold a combined $7.0B in assets. Their average Bank Health Score of 75/100 sits 5.0 points above the national average of 70/100. Across the state, 73% of banks earn an A or B grade for financial health, while 18% fall to a D or F.
The largest bank headquartered in Vermont is Northfield Savings Bank with $1.5B in assets and a Bank Health Score of 49/100. The strongest by score is Wells River Savings Bank in Wells River (90/100, Tier 1 capital 16.72%). The weakest is First Nb of Orwell at 37/100, dragged down by an NPL ratio of 1.76%.
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 Vermont
Wells River Savings Bank
Wells River, VT
Vermont's top-rated bank, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 16.72% — well above the federal "well-capitalized" threshold of 8%. Holds $235M in assets.
Brattleboro S&La
Brattleboro, VT
Second-strongest in the state on capital and loan quality. NPL ratio sits at 0.08% with $285M in total assets.
National Bank of Middlebury
Middlebury, VT
Third in the rankings on the Bank Health Score. Liquidity ratio of 31.58% and ROA of 0.50%.
Top 11 Banks in Vermont
| # | Bank | City | Grade | Score | Tier 1 Capital | NPL Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells River Savings Bank | Wells River | A | 90 | 16.72% | 0.48% |
| 2 | Brattleboro S&La | Brattleboro | A | 90 | 15.49% | 0.08% |
| 3 | National Bank of Middlebury | Middlebury | A | 90 | 14.38% | 0.33% |
| 4 | Ledyard National Bank | Norwich | A | 89 | 13.71% | 0.19% |
| 5 | Peoples Tr Co of St Albans | Saint Albans | A | 87 | 14.86% | 0.40% |
| 6 | Bank of Bennington | Bennington | A | 85 | 19.54% | 0.40% |
| 7 | Union Bank | Morrisville | B | 78 | 12.27% | 0.19% |
| 8 | Passumpsic Savings Bank | Saint Johnsbury | B | 75 | 18.56% | 1.57% |
| 9 | Bank of Burlington | South Burlington | C | 55 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 10 | Northfield Savings Bank | Northfield | D | 49 | 0.00% | 0.19% |
| 11 | First Nb of Orwell | Orwell | D | 37 | 0.00% | 1.76% |
Bank Health Scores for Vermont 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, Wells River Savings Bank in Wells River is currently the safest bank in Vermont with a score of 90/100 (Grade A). It posts a Tier 1 capital ratio of 16.72% and a nonperforming loan ratio of 0.48%.
Vermont has 11 FDIC-insured banks with a combined $7.0B in total assets. The average Bank Health Score across the state is 75/100 (Grade B).
Vermont's average Bank Health Score of 75/100 is 5.0 points above the national average of 70/100. 73% of banks in Vermont earn an A or B grade, compared with the national average grade of B.
Of 11 FDIC-insured banks headquartered in Vermont, 6 earn an A, 2 a B, 1 a C, 2 a D, and 0 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%).