Compare the best banks and credit unions in Virginia — up to 4.00% APY, verified fees, minimums, and membership rules from 44+ local institutions.
Virginia banking benefits from two structural advantages: proximity to Washington, DC — which brings military-affiliated CUs like Navy Federal and PenFed into the market — and a strong state credit-union sector led by Virginia Credit Union and Langley FCU. Navy Federal is headquartered in Vienna, VA and serves military members nationwide, but its local branch density makes it especially accessible to Northern Virginia residents. The Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions regulates state-chartered deposits, and all institutions carry FDIC or NCUA insurance to $250,000.
State regulator: Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. Every institution below is FDIC- or NCUA-insured to $250,000.
Best banks and credit unions in Virginia 2026
PenFed Credit Union — Savings: 4.00% APY, $5 min, no monthly fee. Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is headquartered in Tysons, VA and serves military members, government employees, and eligible family members with competitive deposit rates.
John Marshall Bank — CD: 3.95% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12 Months Certificate of Deposit: $500 minimum deposit to open and $500 daily balance to earn the APY; may also be used as an Individual Retirement Account; quoted CD rates are for individual CDs of up to $1 million. Read Sep 7, 2026 on johnmarshallbank.com. Rates as of 2026-09-01 per the page.
Virginia Credit Union — CD: 3.75% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12 month certificate: $500 minimum opening deposit and $500 minimum to earn APY; larger tiers pay 3.76% ($5,000), 3.85% ($50,000) and 3.95% ($100,000) APY. Read Sep 7, 2026 on vacu.org. Rates as of 2026-09-06 per the page.
Chesapeake Bank — CD: 3.75% APY, $1,000 min, no monthly fee. 13 month Certificate (SPECIAL): Chesapeake Bank prints no 12-month term; the 13 month is the nearest and the page marks it SPECIAL; $1,000 minimum balance; the standard terms are 30 day and 90 day (0.50%), 182 day (2.55%), 18 month (4.00%), 2 year (3.90%), 3 year (2.15%) and 5 year (2.75%). Read Sep 7, 2026 on ches.bank. Rates as of 2026-09-01 per the page.
Apple Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.70% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12 Month Certificate: Minimum deposit of $500 required; a 12-Month Starter Certificate pays 5.00% APY but is capped at $5,000 and limited to one per membership; Jumbo 12 Month pays 3.75% on $50,000 or more. Read Sep 7, 2026 on applefcu.org. Rates as of 2026-09-07 per the page.
Langley Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.70% APY, $500 min, no monthly fee. 12 Month Certificate: Minimum to open is $500; read on langleyfcu.org/deposits-certificate; an 11-month promotional certificate pays 4.00% APY on new money only. Read Sep 7, 2026 on langleyfcu.org. Rates as of 2026-08-27 per the page.
Navy Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.70% APY, $1,000 min, no monthly fee. 12-month Short-Term Certificate: $1K minimum APY column; 3.70% at $1K and $20K, 3.75% at $100K; penalties apply for early withdrawal. Read Sep 7, 2026 on navyfederal.org. Rates as of 2026-09-07 per the page.
Northwest Federal Credit Union — CD: 3.40% APY, $1,000 min, no monthly fee. 12-month 1 year Regular Certificate: $1,000 to $99,999 tier ('Choose your term up to 5 years and deposit a minimum of $1,000'); $100,000+ pays 3.50%; rates current as of 06/15/26; read on nwfcu.org/checking-savings/certificates/; a 15-month Summer Sizzler special pays 4.50% on new money. Read Sep 7, 2026 on nwfcu.org.
Every bank with a branch in Virginia
102 FDIC-insured banks run 1,789 full-service offices in Virginia. 59 of them are community banks, and 30 operate nowhere else. This is the federal record: every figure below is the regulator's own.
Truist Bank — 259 offices in Virginia, of 1,908 nationwide, holding $48.8bn at 30 June 2025, leverage ratio 9.82%.
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 Virginia
44 of them, largest first. Each page carries the bank's own Call Report figures and every office it runs.
148 federally insured credit unions run 613 offices in Virginia, between them serving 23,997,885 members. 96 carry the NCUA's low-income designation. Figures are from each credit union's own NCUA Call Report.
Navy Federal Credit Union — 66 offices in Virginia, 15,350,733 members, $203.6bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.37%.
Pentagon — 7 offices in Virginia, 2,759,060 members, $29.4bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.47%.
Eastman — 4 offices in Virginia, 357,321 members, $10.1bn in assets, net worth ratio 14.38%.
Virginia — 44 offices in Virginia, 494,625 members, $7.36bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.34%.
Baxter — 2 offices in Virginia, 369,985 members, $6.50bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.10%.
Nasa — 4 offices in Virginia, 238,190 members, $5.84bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.14%.
Langley — 20 offices in Virginia, 405,305 members, $5.68bn in assets, net worth ratio 9.01%.
Apple — 24 offices in Virginia, 267,466 members, $5.62bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.83%.
Truliant — 2 offices in Virginia, 333,731 members, $5.45bn in assets, net worth ratio 10.53%.
Chevron — 1 office in Virginia, 140,127 members, $5.44bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.54%.
Northwest — 13 offices in Virginia, 267,951 members, $4.55bn in assets, net worth ratio 11.81%.
Chartway — 26 offices in Virginia, 260,806 members, $3.29bn in assets, net worth ratio 8.12%.
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 Virginia 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. Virginia 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 Virginia 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.
Virginia banking FAQ — credit unions, rates & insurance
Can civilians join Navy Federal Credit Union in Virginia?
Not directly — Navy Federal's field of membership requires active-duty military, veterans, DoD civilian employees, or family members of existing members. However, the family-member path is broad: if any immediate relative is a member, you qualify. Given Virginia's large military and federal workforce, many residents qualify through a spouse, parent, or sibling.
Does Virginia tax bank-account interest?
Yes. Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% that applies to interest income. This is moderate nationally — lower than neighboring Maryland (top rate 5.75% plus county surcharges) and significantly lower than DC (top rate 10.75%). A 4.70% HYSA nets roughly 2.84% after combined federal and VA state tax for a top-bracket earner.
Why is Virginia's credit-union market so strong?
Virginia's proximity to Washington, DC and its large military installations (Norfolk, Quantico, Pentagon) brought Navy Federal, PenFed, and multiple DoD-affiliated credit unions into the state. These large CUs compete aggressively with local institutions like Virginia CU and Langley FCU, keeping deposit rates elevated across the board.
Are Virginia state-chartered deposits federally insured?
Yes. All Virginia state-chartered banks carry FDIC insurance and credit unions carry NCUA insurance, both up to $250,000 per depositor per ownership category. The Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions supervises state-chartered institutions.
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.