Compare the best banks and credit unions in Tennessee — up to 0.40% APY, verified fees, minimums, and membership rules from 29+ local institutions.
Tennessee 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 Tennessee 2026
Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union — CD: 3.75% APY, $2,500 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Certificate Account: $2,500.00 minimum balance; 90 days' dividends penalty for early withdrawal; the page offers 0.25% added to the certificate rate with at least $10,000 new money or with direct deposit; rates effective 09-06-2026. Read Sep 7, 2026 on tvacreditunion.com. Rates as of 2026-09-06 per the page.
Navy Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.70% APY, $1,000 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Standard Certificate: $1,000 minimum deposit ($1K tier); 'Rates as of Sep 07, 2026 ET' per the page. Read Sep 7, 2026 on navyfederal.org. Rates as of 2026-09-07 per the page.
Ascend Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.61% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Share Certificate: $500 minimum deposit; regular, business and/or IRA share certificate table; certificate rates effective September 2, 2026; a 9-month Special Share Certificate pays 4.15% APY on a $5,000 minimum. Read Sep 7, 2026 on ascend.org.
Home Federal Bank of Tennessee — CD: 3.60% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Certificate of Deposit: A minimum balance of $500.00 is required to open the account and to obtain the APY; 6-month early-withdrawal penalty; Effective Date 08/18/2026. Read Sep 7, 2026 on homefederalbanktn.com. Rates as of 2026-08-18 per the page.
Redstone Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.49% APY, $1,000 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Share Certificate: The minimum balance required to open the Share Certificate is $1000; compounding APY (non-compounding pays 3.45%); certificate table effective September 2, 2026 - September 8, 2026. Read Sep 7, 2026 on redfcu.org. Rates as of 2026-09-01 per the page.
CommunityAmerica Credit Union — CD: 3.40% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Share Certificate: Minimum deposit for a Share Certificate is $500; substantial penalty for early withdrawal; rates effective as of 09/06/2026. Read Sep 7, 2026 on communityamerica.com. Rates as of 2026-09-06 per the page.
CommunityAmerica Credit Union — Money Market: 3.20% APY, $1,000 min, $10/mo fee. Advantage Money Market: $1,000 minimum opening deposit; $10 monthly fee if the balance falls below $1,000 at any time; 3.20% APY on all balances; the plain Money Market pays 0.25% APY at $0-$9,999.99 and Premier Money Market 0.25% at that tier. Read Sep 7, 2026 on communityamerica.com. Rates as of 2026-09-06 per the page.
Ascend Federal Credit Union — Money Market: 3.14% APY, no minimum, no monthly fee. High-Yield Money Market: Single rate on all balances; the page prints no minimum for the High-Yield Money Market; APY accurate as of April 1, 2026; the Traditional Money Market (0.20% APY under $2,500) is no longer offered. Read Sep 7, 2026 on ascend.org.
Every bank with a branch in Tennessee
165 FDIC-insured banks run 1,870 full-service offices in Tennessee. 130 of them are community banks, and 93 operate nowhere else. This is the federal record: every figure below is the regulator's own.
Regions Bank — 189 offices in Tennessee, of 1,221 nationwide, holding $22.9bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 9.50%.
First Horizon Bank — 132 offices in Tennessee, of 403 nationwide, holding $31.0bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 10.32%.
Truist Bank — 96 offices in Tennessee, of 1,908 nationwide, holding $16.0bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 9.82%.
FirstBank — 62 offices in Tennessee, of 90 nationwide, holding $9.71bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 10.35%.
Pinnacle Bank — 56 offices in Tennessee, of 379 nationwide, holding $30.2bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 8.97%.
U.S. Bank National Association — 55 offices in Tennessee, of 2,077 nationwide, holding $5.84bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 9.49%.
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 Tennessee
45 of them, largest first. Each page carries the bank's own Call Report figures and every office it runs.
Every office we publish a page for in Tennessee, by town. Each carries what that branch holds, when it opened and the other branches within five miles.
152 federally insured credit unions run 557 offices in Tennessee, between them serving 20,383,472 members. 98 carry the NCUA's low-income designation. Figures are from each credit union's own NCUA Call Report.
Navy Federal Credit Union — 4 offices in Tennessee, 15,350,733 members, $203.6bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.37%.
Eastman — 22 offices in Tennessee, 357,321 members, $10.1bn in assets, net worth ratio 14.38%.
American Airlines — 1 office in Tennessee, 388,005 members, $9.45bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.49%.
Communityamerica — 1 office in Tennessee, 591,912 members, $8.98bn in assets, net worth ratio 9.65%.
Redstone — 9 offices in Tennessee, 548,367 members, $8.57bn in assets, net worth ratio 13.47%.
Knoxville Tva Employees — 25 offices in Tennessee, 308,760 members, $5.23bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.04%.
Ornl — 32 offices in Tennessee, 229,975 members, $4.81bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.02%.
Liberty — 9 offices in Tennessee, 261,514 members, $4.77bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.70%.
Ascend — 30 offices in Tennessee, 265,513 members, $4.75bn in assets, net worth ratio 14.55%.
Tennessee Valley — 22 offices in Tennessee, 178,561 members, $3.19bn in assets, net worth ratio 14.65%.
Altra — 2 offices in Tennessee, 158,923 members, $3.09bn in assets, net worth ratio 12.44%.
Y-12 — 18 offices in Tennessee, 137,505 members, $2.77bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.16%.
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 Tennessee 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. Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.
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.