Bank of the James: how it compares with its peers
Against 19 VA banks with half to twice its assets, Bank of the James's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is net interest margin (3.85% vs. a 4.07% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is efficiency ratio (72.05% vs. 59.58%).
| Measure | Bank of the James | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.01% | 1.43% | Bottom third Ahead of 26% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.85% | 4.07% | Middle third Ahead of 47% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 72.05% | 59.58% | Bottom third Ahead of 5% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $6.3M | $7.1M | Middle third Ahead of 37% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 73.74% | 86.93% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 72.05% is above the 59.58% 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 Freedom Bank of Virginia Fairfax, VA · $1.04B
- Oak View National Bank Warrenton, VA · $966M
- New Peoples Bank, Inc. Honaker, VA · $942M
- Bank of Botetourt Buchanan, VA · $939M
- First National Bank Altavista, VA · $1.14B
- Trustar Bank Great Falls, VA · $1.14B
Questions about Bank of the James
How big is Bank of the James?
Bank of the James, established in 1999, is headquartered in Lynchburg, VA. It reported $1.03B in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 22 offices.
What is Bank of the James's return on assets?
1.01% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.43% median for 19 VA banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 26% of them.
What is Bank of the James's efficiency ratio?
72.05% in Q2 2026: it spent about 72 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 59.58%, and lower is better.
Is Bank of the James growing its loans?
Net loans grew 5.9% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 2.2%.
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 VA 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 Virginia bank ranked.