States with the highest mortgage denial rates
The US state with the highest mortgage denial rate in 2023 was Louisiana at about 30.3%, ahead of Mississippi (29.8%) and West Virginia (25.1%). For reference, the national denial rate was 19.6%. The full ranking of all 51 states and DC, with separate home-purchase and refinance rates, is below.
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB). Data as of June 2026.
All 51 states ranked, highest denial rate first
| # | State | Denial rate | Purchase | Refinance | Originations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 30.3% | 29.9% | 31.5% | 54,124 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 29.8% | 30.0% | 29.3% | 39,047 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 25.1% | 23.0% | 30.9% | 21,394 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 24.6% | 21.8% | 33.2% | 26,637 |
| 5 | Alabama | 24.4% | 22.3% | 30.0% | 79,109 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 23.8% | 21.3% | 32.3% | 98,330 |
| 7 | Florida | 23.6% | 18.2% | 39.6% | 384,863 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 23.3% | 21.5% | 29.3% | 45,314 |
| 9 | Kentucky | 23.3% | 22.2% | 26.2% | 65,145 |
| 10 | Texas | 23.1% | 19.9% | 36.7% | 421,653 |
| 11 | Georgia | 22.4% | 17.0% | 34.6% | 172,815 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 21.3% | 18.6% | 30.4% | 56,497 |
| 13 | Hawaii | 20.1% | 12.2% | 34.4% | 12,213 |
| 14 | Delaware | 20.0% | 15.4% | 32.2% | 17,361 |
| 15 | Michigan | 20.0% | 15.7% | 29.3% | 141,464 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 19.6% | 15.2% | 31.0% | 188,875 |
| 17 | California | 19.1% | 12.9% | 32.2% | 335,898 |
| 18 | New Jersey | 19.0% | 12.4% | 32.9% | 106,113 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 19.0% | 15.6% | 26.5% | 122,624 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 18.9% | 10.2% | 30.7% | 14,404 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 18.6% | 11.7% | 31.0% | 168,096 |
| 22 | Maryland | 18.3% | 11.7% | 33.9% | 83,330 |
| 23 | New York | 18.3% | 13.7% | 29.3% | 154,253 |
| 24 | Arizona | 17.8% | 12.9% | 31.2% | 118,118 |
| 25 | Nevada | 17.8% | 12.9% | 33.5% | 46,782 |
| 26 | Maine | 17.6% | 12.9% | 27.5% | 20,555 |
| 27 | Utah | 17.5% | 12.1% | 27.8% | 56,986 |
| 28 | Indiana | 17.3% | 12.2% | 27.6% | 115,588 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | 17.3% | 11.2% | 28.5% | 19,655 |
| 30 | Ohio | 17.3% | 11.2% | 29.4% | 171,804 |
| 31 | Virginia | 17.3% | 12.0% | 31.6% | 126,501 |
| 32 | Wyoming | 17.3% | 12.8% | 29.9% | 8,152 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | 17.2% | 10.5% | 37.3% | 7,348 |
| 34 | Connecticut | 17.1% | 10.9% | 31.2% | 47,680 |
| 35 | Colorado | 16.8% | 11.5% | 31.8% | 102,034 |
| 36 | Vermont | 16.7% | 12.6% | 25.1% | 7,788 |
| 37 | Montana | 16.6% | 12.1% | 28.0% | 14,125 |
| 38 | Idaho | 16.5% | 9.9% | 29.9% | 33,653 |
| 39 | Illinois | 16.5% | 11.6% | 32.0% | 158,841 |
| 40 | Oregon | 16.0% | 11.5% | 28.4% | 51,823 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | 15.9% | 9.8% | 28.4% | 80,905 |
| 42 | Washington | 15.7% | 10.3% | 30.1% | 101,889 |
| 43 | Kansas | 15.1% | 11.0% | 26.3% | 40,352 |
| 44 | Missouri | 14.9% | 10.8% | 26.1% | 97,685 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | 13.7% | 9.3% | 21.1% | 91,239 |
| 46 | Alaska | 13.5% | 7.6% | 36.7% | 8,342 |
| 47 | Iowa | 12.7% | 9.2% | 22.7% | 50,783 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 12.6% | 9.3% | 21.3% | 12,402 |
| 49 | Minnesota | 12.2% | 8.2% | 25.7% | 81,211 |
| 50 | Nebraska | 12.1% | 8.4% | 23.1% | 28,741 |
| 51 | North Dakota | 11.5% | 8.6% | 21.8% | 9,647 |
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB) (2023). Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which US state has the highest mortgage denial rate?
Louisiana had the highest mortgage denial rate of any state in 2023 at about 30.3%, followed by Mississippi (29.8%) and West Virginia (25.1%). The national denial rate was 19.6%. Figures are from the HMDA Data Browser.
Why do some states have higher mortgage denial rates?
Denial rates reflect the mix of applicants and loans, not just lender strictness. States with more lower-income or first-time buyers, higher debt-to-income ratios, more government-backed (FHA/VA) applications, or higher home-price-to-income ratios tend to show higher denial rates. Credit history and incomplete applications also play a large role.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20