Better Banks: how it compares with its peers
Against 124 IL banks with half to twice its assets, Better Banks's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is net interest margin (3.88% vs. a 3.68% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is assets per employee ($5.4M vs. $7.2M).
| Measure | Better Banks | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.14% | 1.19% | Middle third Ahead of 48% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.88% | 3.68% | Middle third Ahead of 66% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 71.81% | 62.79% | Bottom third Ahead of 19% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $5.4M | $7.2M | Bottom third Ahead of 10% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 72.86% | 77.67% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 71.81% is above the 62.79% 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
- The City National Bank of Metropolis Metropolis, IL · $444M
- Grand Ridge National Bank Wheaton, IL · $443M
- Community State Bank Galva, IL · $442M
- Citizens State Bank Lena, IL · $453M
- Eureka Savings Bank La Salle, IL · $436M
- First National Bank in Olney Olney, IL · $469M
Questions about Better Banks
How big is Better Banks?
Better Banks, established in 1898, is headquartered in Peoria, IL. It reported $446M in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 9 offices.
What is Better Banks's return on assets?
1.14% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.19% median for 124 IL banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 48% of them.
What is Better Banks's efficiency ratio?
71.81% in Q2 2026: it spent about 72 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 62.79%, and lower is better.
Is Better Banks growing its loans?
Net loans grew 3.4% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 3.6%.
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.