North Dakota mortgage lending data
Midwest region · HMDA 2023 reporting year
In North Dakota, the 2023 mortgage denial rate was 11.5% — among the lowest denial rates in the country (-8.1 points vs the 19.6% national rate), ranking it #51 of 51. Lenders originated about 9,647 home-purchase and refinance loans (rank #47). The home-purchase denial rate was 8.6% and refinance 21.8%. By loan type, conventional loans were 79.0%, FHA 12.3%, VA 7.5% and USDA/RHS 1.2%. Informational data, not lending advice.
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB). Data as of June 2026.
North Dakota mortgage lending at a glance
| Indicator | North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Total originations (purchase + refinance, 2023) | 9,647 |
| Denied applications | 1,252 |
| Mortgage denial rate | 11.5% |
| Denial-rate rank (1 = highest of 51) | #51 |
| Home-purchase denial rate | 8.6% |
| Refinance denial rate | 21.8% |
| Volume rank (1 = most loans of 51) | #47 |
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
North Dakota's mortgage denial rate of 11.5% means that for every 100 applications that were either approved-and-originated or denied, about 12 were turned down. That is much lower 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 North Dakota the purchase denial rate was 8.6% versus 21.8% for refinances.
North Dakota loan-type mix
How North Dakota's 9,647 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 | 9,426 | 79.0% |
| FHA | 1,467 | 12.3% |
| VA | 892 | 7.5% |
| USDA / RHS | 141 | 1.2% |
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 North Dakota
| State | Denial rate | Originations | FHA share | VA share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (this state) | 11.5% | 9,647 | 12.3% | 7.5% |
| Nebraska | 12.1% | 28,741 | 10.4% | 6.8% |
| Minnesota | 12.2% | 81,211 | 8.4% | 3.6% |
| South Dakota | 12.6% | 12,402 | 11.7% | 8.0% |
| Iowa | 12.7% | 50,783 | 8.3% | 4.1% |
| Alaska | 13.5% | 8,342 | 12.2% | 23.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What was the mortgage denial rate in North Dakota in 2023?
In 2023, the mortgage denial rate in North Dakota was about 11.5% — that is, 1,252 applications were denied out of 10,899 that were either originated or denied. That is -8.1 points versus the national rate of 19.6%, and ranks North Dakota #51 of 51 from highest to lowest. Figures are from HMDA; verify before relying on them.
How many mortgages were originated in North Dakota?
Lenders originated about 9,647 home-purchase and refinance loans in North Dakota in 2023 (HMDA reporting year), ranking it #47 of 51 by volume. Of those, the home-purchase denial rate was 8.6% and the refinance denial rate was 21.8%.
What share of North Dakota mortgages are FHA or VA loans?
In North Dakota, FHA loans made up about 12.3% of originations and VA loans about 7.5%, with conventional loans the largest share at 79.0% and USDA/RHS loans 1.2%. Higher government-backed shares often reflect more first-time and lower-down-payment buyers.
Is it harder to get a mortgage in North Dakota than elsewhere?
North Dakota's denial rate of 11.5% is among the lowest denial rates in the country. 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 North Dakota are Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota.
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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