Arkansas mortgage lending data
South region · HMDA 2023 reporting year
In Arkansas, the 2023 mortgage denial rate was 23.3% — above the national denial rate (+3.7 points vs the 19.6% national rate), ranking it #8 of 51. Lenders originated about 45,314 home-purchase and refinance loans (rank #33). The home-purchase denial rate was 21.5% and refinance 29.3%. By loan type, conventional loans were 73.4%, FHA 15.5%, VA 7.9% and USDA/RHS 3.2%. Informational data, not lending advice.
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB). Data as of June 2026.
Arkansas mortgage lending at a glance
| Indicator | Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Total originations (purchase + refinance, 2023) | 45,314 |
| Denied applications | 13,744 |
| Mortgage denial rate | 23.3% |
| Denial-rate rank (1 = highest of 51) | #8 |
| Home-purchase denial rate | 21.5% |
| Refinance denial rate | 29.3% |
| Volume rank (1 = most loans of 51) | #33 |
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB) (2023 reporting year). Data as of June 2026.
Source: HMDA Data Browser (2023), public domain. Denial rate = denied ÷ (originated + denied). Informational only — verify before relying on it.
What the denial rate means
Arkansas's mortgage denial rate of 23.3% means that for every 100 applications that were either approved-and-originated or denied, about 23 were turned down. That is higher compared with the national figure of 19.6%. Denial rates are driven by applicant credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, the loan type and local home prices — not only by how strict lenders are. Refinance applications are often denied at a different rate than purchase loans: in Arkansas the purchase denial rate was 21.5% versus 29.3% for refinances.
Arkansas loan-type mix
How Arkansas's 45,314 originations break down by loan program. A higher FHA or VA share usually points to more first-time buyers, lower down payments, or a large veteran population.
| Loan type | Originations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 39,927 | 73.4% |
| FHA | 8,403 | 15.5% |
| VA | 4,309 | 7.9% |
| USDA / RHS | 1,745 | 3.2% |
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB) (2023). Data as of June 2026.
See FHA vs VA vs conventional for what each program is. Shares are over loans with a reported type and may not sum to exactly 100% due to rounding.
States with a similar denial rate to Arkansas
| State | Denial rate | Originations | FHA share | VA share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (this state) | 23.3% | 45,314 | 15.5% | 7.9% |
| Kentucky | 23.3% | 65,145 | 14.4% | 6.4% |
| Texas | 23.1% | 421,653 | 18.4% | 9.0% |
| Florida | 23.6% | 384,863 | 16.3% | 8.2% |
| South Carolina | 23.8% | 98,330 | 15.5% | 11.1% |
| Georgia | 22.4% | 172,815 | 18.7% | 10.0% |
Frequently asked questions
What was the mortgage denial rate in Arkansas in 2023?
In 2023, the mortgage denial rate in Arkansas was about 23.3% — that is, 13,744 applications were denied out of 59,058 that were either originated or denied. That is +3.7 points versus the national rate of 19.6%, and ranks Arkansas #8 of 51 from highest to lowest. Figures are from HMDA; verify before relying on them.
How many mortgages were originated in Arkansas?
Lenders originated about 45,314 home-purchase and refinance loans in Arkansas in 2023 (HMDA reporting year), ranking it #33 of 51 by volume. Of those, the home-purchase denial rate was 21.5% and the refinance denial rate was 29.3%.
What share of Arkansas mortgages are FHA or VA loans?
In Arkansas, FHA loans made up about 15.5% of originations and VA loans about 7.9%, with conventional loans the largest share at 73.4% and USDA/RHS loans 3.2%. Higher government-backed shares often reflect more first-time and lower-down-payment buyers.
Is it harder to get a mortgage in Arkansas than elsewhere?
Arkansas's denial rate of 23.3% is above the national denial rate. Denial rates reflect applicant credit, income and debt, loan type and local home prices as much as lender behavior, so a higher rate does not by itself mean stricter lenders. States with the most similar denial rates to Arkansas are Kentucky, Texas, Florida.
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Sources & accuracy
All counts are from the HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB, 2023 reporting year, public domain). Denial rate, loan-type shares and ranks are transparent calculations over those counts (see methodology). This page is informational and is not financial or lending advice — verify with a licensed lender before making a decision.
Last updated: 2026-06-20