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Best Banks & Credit Unions in Illinois

Compare the best banks and credit unions in Illinois: up to 3.35% APY, verified fees, minimums, and membership rules from 42+ local institutions.

Illinois has more FDIC-insured institutions than any state but Texas: 325 as of June 30, 2026, according to FDIC data. BMO has its U.S. headquarters in Chicago (BMO Harris Bank became BMO in 2023), and Wintrust is based in suburban Rosemont. First Midwest is no longer a separate bank: it merged in 2022 into Old National, which is headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, and runs its commercial and consumer banking from Chicago. State-chartered deposits are overseen by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Among credit unions, Alliant, Consumers Credit Union and BCU are worth comparing, and the first two accept members nationwide: Alliant through the nonprofit Foster Care to Success, whose $5 fee it pays, and Consumers through a $5 association membership it reimburses.

State regulator: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Every institution below is FDIC- or NCUA-insured to $250,000.

Best banks and credit unions in Illinois 2026

Every bank with a branch in Illinois

379 FDIC-insured banks run 3,427 full-service offices in Illinois. 322 of them are community banks, and 277 operate nowhere else. This is the federal record: every figure below is the regulator's own.

Deposits by office come from the FDIC Summary of Deposits, counted each 30 June; the leverage ratio is capital as a share of assets, from each bank's latest Call Report. Nothing here is blended into a score. Search by ZIP to see the offices nearest you.

Every bank we publish a page for in Illinois

39 of them, largest first. Each page carries the bank's own Call Report figures and every office it runs.

Branches by town in Illinois

Where a bank runs more than one office in a town, every one of them is listed on a page of its own.

Branch pages in Illinois

Every office we publish a page for in Illinois, by town. Each carries what that branch holds, when it opened and the other branches within five miles.

Chicago

Aurora

Decatur

Joliet

Oak Park

Peoria

Wheaton

Barrington

Batavia

Champaign

Chicago Heights

Deerfield

Elgin

Elk Grove Village

Elmhurst

Evanston

Geneva

Glencoe

Harvey

Hinsdale

La Salle

Melrose Park

Plainfield

Skokie

Springfield

Swansea

Wilmette

Every credit union with an office in Illinois

225 federally insured credit unions run 644 offices in Illinois, between them serving 23,099,253 members. 92 carry the NCUA's low-income designation. Figures are from each credit union's own NCUA Call Report.

A credit union is measured differently from a bank and the numbers are not interchangeable: the net worth ratio here is the NCUA's capital measure under 12 CFR 702, where 7% is well capitalised, and shares are the credit union equivalent of deposits. Membership usually turns on where you live or work, so a local credit union is often open to you even when its name suggests otherwise.

What makes a Illinois bank account worth opening

Look at four things in order: the APY (does it beat the FDIC national average of about 0.60%?), the monthly fee (anything above $0 should come with a clear waiver path), the minimum opening deposit, and the membership rule for credit unions. Illinois residents typically qualify for at least one large state-chartered credit union on residency alone, and that credit union is often the highest-APY option available locally.

Is my money safe at a Illinois bank or credit union?

Yes, if the institution is federally insured. FDIC covers banks up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category; NCUA covers credit unions at the same limits. Every institution in this directory carries one of those insurances. The FDIC or NCUA ID is listed on the full provider row.

Best banks in Illinois cities

Illinois banking FAQ: credit unions, rates & insurance

Does Alliant Credit Union accept members outside Illinois?

Yes. Alliant is based in Illinois but accepts members nationwide. If you don't qualify another way, you can become eligible by joining Foster Care to Success, a nonprofit that supports young people aging out of foster care, and Alliant pays the $5 membership fee for you. That route needs no employer or family link to Alliant.

How does Consumers Credit Union's rewards checking compare to Illinois online banks?

Consumers CU's rewards checking has historically paid one of the highest APYs in the country on balances up to $10,000, provided you meet a modest monthly transaction requirement (typically 12 debit-card purchases plus one e-statement). Above $10,000 the rate drops sharply, which makes it an excellent "first bucket" account paired with a HYSA for larger balances.

Are Illinois bank deposits insured the same way as federal-chartered banks?

Yes. Illinois state-chartered banks carry FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, the same coverage as federally chartered banks. State-chartered credit unions carry NCUA insurance at identical limits. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation supervises the state-chartered institutions, but the federal insurance is what protects your deposits.

Why are Chicago-area community banks so competitive on deposit rates?

Competition is the usual explanation. Illinois has 325 FDIC-insured institutions, more than any state but Texas (FDIC data as of June 30, 2026), and Chicago-area community banks compete for deposits with BMO, Wintrust and the national banks. That makes local CD specials worth checking alongside online banks before you lock in a rate.

Related guides for Illinois savers

Rates and fees change frequently. Confirm current figures directly with each institution before applying, and see our editorial methodology for how this directory is built and maintained.