First Bank Chicago: how it compares with its peers
Against 33 IL banks with half to twice its assets, First Bank Chicago's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is assets per employee ($15.1M vs. a $8.8M peer median). Its weakest relative measure is efficiency ratio (80.21% vs. 51.28%).
| Measure | First Bank Chicago | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 0.28% | 1.32% | Bottom third Ahead of 6% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 2.10% | 3.53% | Bottom third Ahead of 3% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 80.21% | 51.28% | Bottom third Ahead of 0% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $15.1M | $8.8M | Top third Ahead of 75% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 85.02% | 85.76% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 80.21% is above the 51.28% peer median: it spends more to earn each dollar of revenue than most banks its size. Staff time on manual borrower verification (collecting pay stubs, bank statements, and employment letters, then re-keying them) is one of the larger controllable costs behind that number.
Banks closest in size
- Crystal Lake Bank and Trust Company, National Association Crystal Lake, IL · $2.26B
- Marquette Bank Chicago, IL · $2.09B
- Peoples National Bank , N.A. Mount Vernon, IL · $2.08B
- American Commercial Bank & Trust, National Association Ottawa, IL · $2.07B
- Blackhawk Bank & Trust Milan, IL · $2.04B
Questions about First Bank Chicago
How big is First Bank Chicago?
First Bank Chicago, established in 1955, is headquartered in Highland Park, IL. It reported $2.23B in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 4 offices.
What is First Bank Chicago's return on assets?
0.28% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.32% median for 33 IL banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 6% of them.
What is First Bank Chicago's efficiency ratio?
80.21% in Q2 2026: it spent about 80 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 51.28%, and lower is better.
Is First Bank Chicago growing its loans?
Net loans grew 11.6% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 10.4%.
Sources and method
Figures are from the FDIC’s public call report data for the quarter ending 06/30/2026, via FDIC BankFind. Return on assets and net interest margin are annualized year to date. Peers are IL banks with half to twice its assets in the same quarter, excluding this bank. The page refreshes daily, so new quarters appear as banks file. Compare another bank or see every Illinois bank ranked.