Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Metropolitan Statistical Area · MSA Code 47940
Mortgage lending activity in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area based on lender filings under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). Data covers all applications received by HMDA-reporting institutions operating in this geography during 2024.
Metro-area mortgage activity. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA code 47940) recorded 6,845 HMDA-reported mortgage applications in 2024. Lenders originated 4,537 of those and denied others at a rate of 10.5%, for an approval (origination) rate of 66.3%. The average loan amount across the MSA was $138,473 at an average note rate of 7.01%. 20 major lenders are tracked for this metro - Veridian Credit Union, Greenstate Credit Union, Cedar Falls Community Credit Union lead by origination volume. Among the 418 metros tracked, Waterloo-Cedar Falls ranks #12 by denial rate (the 97th percentile for approval-friendliness), and shares its 5-point denial-rate band with 117 other tracked metros.
What MSA numbers tell you, and what they don't. Metro area boundaries are defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and typically span multiple counties, so a single Waterloo-Cedar Falls denial rate averages across urban core, inner suburbs, and outer commuter communities with very different borrower profiles. Metro denial rates are shaped primarily by applicant mix, credit profile, loan-to-value, debt-to-income, property type, not by a single "local market" stance. A 10.5% denial rate at the MSA level can coexist with widely varying individual-lender denial rates; $138,473 average loan size reflects the MSA's property values and the borrower pool that actually applied, not any single neighborhood.
How to use this page. These are aggregate 2024 HMDA disclosures published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, federal transparency data, not a real-time mortgage rate quote. A metro-level number is useful context but says nothing about what any particular lender will offer a specific borrower; rates, fees, and underwriting vary by lender, product, and file. This page is informational data reporting, not financial, legal, or mortgage advice. Shop at least three lenders, compare Loan Estimates carefully, and consult a licensed mortgage professional before applying. Data reflects the CFPB HMDA 2024 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset.
Metros With a Similar Denial Rate
The metro areas closest to Waterloo-Cedar Falls's 10.5% denial rate among all 418 tracked MSAs.
Nearby Lenders in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
HMDA-reporting mortgage lenders ranked by loan originations in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area (2024). Compare any two side-by-side.
| # | Lender | Originated | Applications | Avg Loan | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veridian Credit Union | 1,777 | 2,388 | $106,378 | 39.2% |
| 2 | Greenstate Credit Union | 852 | 1,064 | $136,165 | 18.8% |
| 3 | Cedar Falls Community Credit Union | 205 | 225 | $104,200 | 4.5% |
| 4 | Farmers State Bank | 176 | 220 | $179,000 | 3.9% |
| 5 | Dupaco Community Credit Union | 133 | 221 | $83,507 | 2.9% |
Understanding This Data
Application Volume
The 6,845 applications recorded here represent every mortgage application reported by lenders with originations in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls MSA. This includes home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans.
Denial Rate Context
A denial rate of 10.5% means approximately 10.5% of all applications filed in this metro were denied. The average loan amount of $138,473 reflects the median property values and borrower profiles in this market.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many mortgage applications were filed in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area?
What is the mortgage denial rate in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro?
What is the average mortgage loan amount in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area?
Who are the largest mortgage lenders in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area?
Mortgage Lending Guides
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) 2024. Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Data from FFIEC / CFPB HMDA Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (2024). Provided for informational purposes only; does not constitute financial advice.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainLender is rendered directly from CFPB HMDA federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on CFPB HMDA federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.