Subscribe

Best Banks & Credit Unions in Iowa

Compare the best banks and credit unions in Iowa — up to 0.15% APY, verified fees, minimums, and membership rules from 21+ local institutions.

Iowa residents have access to a mix of state-chartered credit unions, regional community banks, and nationwide online banks. This page ranks the strongest options for savings APY, checking rewards, and CD specials — all verified against the institution's own rate page as of September 2026.

Best banks and credit unions in Iowa 2026

Every bank with a branch in Iowa

261 FDIC-insured banks run 1,349 full-service offices in Iowa. 240 of them are community banks, and 204 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 Iowa

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

Branches by town in Iowa

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 Iowa

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

Des Moines

Sioux City

West Des Moines

Cedar Rapids

Coralville

Marion

Davenport

Iowa City

Johnston

Bettendorf

Cedar Falls

Clive

Hiawatha

Robins

Every credit union with an office in Iowa

81 federally insured credit unions run 321 offices in Iowa, between them serving 2,437,204 members. 35 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 Iowa 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. Iowa 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 Iowa 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 Iowa cities

Related guides for Iowa 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.