Wisconsin mortgage lending data
Midwest region · HMDA 2023 reporting year
In Wisconsin, the 2023 mortgage denial rate was 13.7% — among the lowest denial rates in the country (-5.9 points vs the 19.6% national rate), ranking it #45 of 51. Lenders originated about 91,239 home-purchase and refinance loans (rank #20). The home-purchase denial rate was 9.3% and refinance 21.1%. By loan type, conventional loans were 91.1%, FHA 5.6%, VA 3.1% and USDA/RHS 0.3%. Informational data, not lending advice.
Source: HMDA Data Browser (FFIEC / CFPB). Data as of June 2026.
Wisconsin mortgage lending at a glance
| Indicator | Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Total originations (purchase + refinance, 2023) | 91,239 |
| Denied applications | 14,483 |
| Mortgage denial rate | 13.7% |
| Denial-rate rank (1 = highest of 51) | #45 |
| Home-purchase denial rate | 9.3% |
| Refinance denial rate | 21.1% |
| Volume rank (1 = most loans of 51) | #20 |
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
Wisconsin's mortgage denial rate of 13.7% means that for every 100 applications that were either approved-and-originated or denied, about 14 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 Wisconsin the purchase denial rate was 9.3% versus 21.1% for refinances.
Wisconsin loan-type mix
How Wisconsin's 91,239 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 | 116,713 | 91.1% |
| FHA | 7,126 | 5.6% |
| VA | 3,927 | 3.1% |
| USDA / RHS | 414 | 0.3% |
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 Wisconsin
| State | Denial rate | Originations | FHA share | VA share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin (this state) | 13.7% | 91,239 | 5.6% | 3.1% |
| Alaska | 13.5% | 8,342 | 12.2% | 23.2% |
| Iowa | 12.7% | 50,783 | 8.3% | 4.1% |
| South Dakota | 12.6% | 12,402 | 11.7% | 8.0% |
| Missouri | 14.9% | 97,685 | 13.0% | 6.6% |
| Kansas | 15.1% | 40,352 | 11.1% | 7.7% |
Frequently asked questions
What was the mortgage denial rate in Wisconsin in 2023?
In 2023, the mortgage denial rate in Wisconsin was about 13.7% — that is, 14,483 applications were denied out of 105,722 that were either originated or denied. That is -5.9 points versus the national rate of 19.6%, and ranks Wisconsin #45 of 51 from highest to lowest. Figures are from HMDA; verify before relying on them.
How many mortgages were originated in Wisconsin?
Lenders originated about 91,239 home-purchase and refinance loans in Wisconsin in 2023 (HMDA reporting year), ranking it #20 of 51 by volume. Of those, the home-purchase denial rate was 9.3% and the refinance denial rate was 21.1%.
What share of Wisconsin mortgages are FHA or VA loans?
In Wisconsin, FHA loans made up about 5.6% of originations and VA loans about 3.1%, with conventional loans the largest share at 91.1% and USDA/RHS loans 0.3%. Higher government-backed shares often reflect more first-time and lower-down-payment buyers.
Is it harder to get a mortgage in Wisconsin than elsewhere?
Wisconsin's denial rate of 13.7% 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 Wisconsin are Alaska, Iowa, South Dakota.
Keep exploring
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