BestCRE’s ranking identifies the Tennessee headquartered banks with the largest commercial real estate loan portfolios. Pinnacle Bank leads with $36.8 billion, followed by First Horizon Bank at $22.5 billion and FirstBank at $7.1 billion. The table covers 25 banks holding a combined $85.7 billion in CRE loans as of June 30, 2026. Results come from FDIC Call Reports, formally called Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C. Headquarters determine inclusion, while reported balances cover each institution’s entire bank portfolio. The figures therefore measure bank level CRE lending capacity and exposure, not lending limited to properties within Tennessee.
Tennessee had 109 headquartered banks with $96.3 billion in total CRE loans. Those balances increased +36.0% year over year, while the top five institutions held 74.6% of the state headquartered total. For context, all 4,167 banks in the broader FDIC data held $3.07 trillion in CRE loans. The ranking separates construction and land, multifamily, owner occupied, and investor nonfarm nonresidential balances so borrowers can see differences in portfolio mix. FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026 figures also identify major banks headquartered outside Tennessee that maintain branches and deposits in the state.
Tennessee banks ranked by total CRE loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pinnacle Bank | Nashville, TN | $36,789 | $5,890 | $4,865 | $9,453 | +123.7% | 41.5% |
| 2 | First Horizon Bank | Memphis, TN | $22,518 | $1,632 | $3,722 | $8,789 | +0.2% | 34.2% |
| 3 | FirstBank | Nashville, TN | $7,096 | $1,158 | $768 | $2,153 | +39.1% | 54.3% |
| 4 | SmartBank | Pigeon Forge, TN | $2,870 | $516 | $245 | $1,066 | +17.4% | 61.2% |
| 5 | Wilson Bank and Trust | Lebanon, TN | $2,563 | $856 | $202 | $668 | +0.2% | 57.1% |
| 6 | Commercial Bank | Harrogate, TN | $1,337 | $200 | $258 | $482 | +11.4% | 69.3% |
| 7 | Bank of Tennessee | Kingsport, TN | $1,101 | $180 | $176 | $247 | +24.8% | 60.5% |
| 8 | Builtwell Bank | Chattanooga, TN | $1,056 | $237 | $75.7 | $340 | +18.4% | 68.1% |
| 9 | Citizens National Bank | Sevierville, TN | $997 | $170 | $60.1 | $216 | +6.3% | 74.8% |
| 10 | Lawrence Bank | Nashville, TN | $977 | $231 | $64.0 | $391 | +85.0% | 43.2% |
| 11 | SouthEast Bank | Farragut, TN | $953 | $330 | $47.1 | $204 | +15.1% | 30.5% |
| 12 | Citizens Bank | Elizabethton, TN | $845 | $171 | $94.7 | $268 | +13.9% | 74.1% |
| 13 | Studio Bank | Nashville, TN | $595 | $136 | $23.9 | $148 | +30.1% | 57.7% |
| 14 | Home Federal Bank of Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | $584 | $167 | $33.2 | $140 | +11.9% | 39.1% |
| 15 | Wellworth Bank | Lafayette, TN | $582 | $218 | $41.2 | $170 | +5.6% | 46.0% |
| 16 | One Bank of Tennessee | Cookeville, TN | $549 | $72.2 | $38.2 | $261 | -1.0% | 49.9% |
| 17 | First Farmers and Merchants Bank | Columbia, TN | $540 | $120 | $42.1 | $82.4 | +5.8% | 52.0% |
| 18 | First National Bank of Pulaski | Pulaski, TN | $526 | $146 | $12.7 | $194 | -0.1% | 51.1% |
| 19 | Financial Federal Bank | Memphis, TN | $511 | $174 | $65.7 | $145 | -1.5% | 47.3% |
| 20 | Security Bank and Trust Company | Paris, TN | $507 | $129 | $81.6 | $73.1 | +23.7% | 42.1% |
| 21 | Citizens Tri-County Bank | Dunlap, TN | $505 | $234 | $18.7 | $81.6 | +5.6% | 47.0% |
| 22 | InsBank | Nashville, TN | $481 | $98.5 | $25.2 | $101 | +11.9% | 52.6% |
| 23 | Legends Bank | Clarksville, TN | $441 | $106 | $32.7 | $161 | +12.7% | 65.9% |
| 24 | Tennessee State Bank | Pigeon Forge, TN | $398 | $80.9 | $34.6 | $50.8 | +3.9% | 55.4% |
| 25 | First Freedom Bank | Lebanon, TN | $384 | $105 | $7.7 | $48.6 | +17.2% | 55.8% |
Source: FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026 (schedule RC-C). Dollar figures in millions. Change, 1 year compares total CRE loans with June 30, 2025. Bank names link to each bank’s FDIC record. Table shows the top 25 of 109 banks headquartered in Tennessee.
Pinnacle Bank is the clear leader at $36.8 billion and ranks 9 nationally, while First Horizon Bank has $22.5 billion and ranks 24 nationally. Pinnacle reported +123.7% year over year CRE growth, compared with +0.2% at First Horizon. FirstBank ranks third with $7.1 billion, +39.1% growth and a 54.3% CRE share of loans. Portfolio mix also differs. Pinnacle holds $16.6 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, while First Horizon reports $8.8 billion in owner occupied loans. Among smaller institutions, Citizens National Bank has a 74.8% CRE share of loans, and Citizens Bank has a 74.1% share. Bank of Tennessee reports investor CRE equal to 4.31x equity, high relative to other banks in the table. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee is at 0.97x, low by comparison. These measures show scale, composition, recent growth and balance sheet concentration, but they do not establish current credit availability.
Out of state banks with branches in Tennessee
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in Tennessee | Deposits in Tennessee ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 53 | $23,963 | $79,906 |
| Regions Bank | Alabama | 193 | $23,098 | $16,257 |
| Truist Bank | North Carolina | 98 | $16,589 | $51,018 |
| U.S. Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 55 | $5,832 | $50,718 |
| Fifth Third Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 47 | $3,680 | $33,581 |
| Simmons Bank | Arkansas | 44 | $3,332 | $10,727 |
| Old National Bank | Indiana | 21 | $2,896 | $23,021 |
| The Huntington National Bank | Ohio | 30 | $2,524 | $37,932 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 23 | $2,150 | $121,623 |
| United Community Bank | South Carolina | 26 | $2,112 | $9,988 |
| The Park National Bank | Ohio | 26 | $2,104 | $3,839 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 47 | $1,814 | $179,847 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for Tennessee only; CRE loans are bank wide.
Portfolio size and growth guide the first lender screen
A large CRE portfolio can indicate appetite and capacity to hold commercial property loans, making total CRE balances a practical starting point for a lender search. The mix then helps narrow the list. A borrower seeking construction financing can compare construction and land balances, while an owner user can focus on owner occupied exposure. Growth provides another signal: banks adding CRE loans may warrant a call, although reported growth does not establish that a bank will approve a particular request.
Use concentration alongside size and growth. A bank with substantial CRE exposure relative to its total loans or equity may be selective even when it has a large portfolio. Bank lending is relationship driven and local, so borrowers should contact several institutions and discuss property type, location, sponsorship and the requested structure. The table is a screening tool, not a statement of current terms, pricing or approval standards.
Get your deal in front of the right lenders in Tennessee
Tell BestCRE about the property, the loan amount and the timeline. We package the request and bring back term sheets from banks, debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders, so you compare more than the bank down the street.
Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix reveals where reported CRE balances are concentrated
The 25 ranked banks report $13.4 billion in construction and land loans, $11.0 billion in multifamily loans, $25.9 billion in owner occupied loans and $35.4 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. At Pinnacle Bank, investor nonfarm nonresidential is the largest reported category at $16.6 billion. First Horizon Bank’s owner occupied balance is $8.8 billion, slightly above its $8.4 billion investor nonfarm nonresidential balance. Wilson Bank and Trust reports $856.3 million in construction and land loans within a $2.6 billion CRE portfolio.
Concentration measures provide context for those balances. Commercial Bank has CRE equal to 69.3% of loans and investor CRE equal to 3.27x equity. Citizens National Bank reports a 74.8% CRE share and a 4.06x investor CRE to equity ratio. By contrast, SouthEast Bank has a 30.5% CRE share, while Home Federal Bank of Tennessee reports investor CRE equal to 0.97x equity. Ratios that are high relative to peers can signal that a bank will be selective.
Tennessee borrowers have bank and nonbank alternatives
This ranking includes only banks headquartered in Tennessee. Banks based elsewhere can still lend through Tennessee branches. Bank of America, N.A., headquartered in North Carolina, has 53 Tennessee branches, $24.0 billion of deposits in the state and $79.9 billion in total CRE loans across all states. Regions Bank, headquartered in Alabama, has 193 Tennessee branches, $23.1 billion in state deposits and $16.3 billion in total CRE loans. Truist Bank has 98 branches, $16.6 billion in Tennessee deposits and $51.0 billion in total CRE loans.
Other branch based options include U.S. Bank, N.A., Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Simmons Bank, Old National Bank, The Huntington National Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., United Community Bank, The Park National Bank and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Borrowers can also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders, which do not appear in bank call reports. Comparing several sources matters because lender fit depends on property type, location, relationship and the requested financing structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Tennessee bank has the largest commercial real estate loan portfolio?
Pinnacle Bank ranks first with $36.8 billion in total CRE loans as of June 30, 2026. Its portfolio includes $5.9 billion in construction and land loans, $4.9 billion in multifamily loans, $9.5 billion in owner occupied loans and $16.6 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. CRE represents 41.5% of its total loans, and investor CRE equals 1.85x equity. Pinnacle also ranks 9 nationally by total CRE loans among the banks covered by the FDIC data.
Why does the ranking include only banks headquartered in Tennessee?
Headquarters provide a consistent rule for defining the ranked group. Tennessee has 109 headquartered banks with $96.3 billion in total CRE loans. The table presents the leading 25 of those institutions, which together report $85.7 billion. A bank’s call report covers its entire bank portfolio, so the balances are not limited to properties in Tennessee. Banks headquartered elsewhere are discussed separately because their nationwide portfolios cannot be assigned to Tennessee solely from branch and deposit information.
How current are the Tennessee commercial real estate lender figures?
The portfolio figures are based on FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026, using schedule RC-C. Branch and deposit information comes from the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Market benchmarks are more recent, as of Oct 26, 2026: the Prime rate is 7.00%, SOFR is 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury is 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury is 4.96%, and Fed funds is 3.88%. These benchmarks provide market context but are not bank loan quotes.
Which ranked Tennessee banks reported the strongest CRE growth?
Pinnacle Bank reported +123.7% year over year growth in total CRE loans, the highest figure shown in the ranked table. Lawrence Bank followed with +85.0%, while FirstBank reported +39.1% and Studio Bank reported +30.1%. Growth indicates that reported balances increased, but it does not explain the source of the increase or confirm present lending availability. Borrowers should use growth as one screening factor alongside portfolio size, property type mix and concentration before contacting a bank.
What is the difference between state rank and national rank?
The state rank compares only banks headquartered in Tennessee, while the national rank places the same institution among banks in the broader FDIC data. Pinnacle Bank is first in Tennessee and ranks 9 nationally with $36.8 billion in CRE loans. First Horizon Bank is second in Tennessee and ranks 24 nationally with $22.5 billion. FirstBank is third in Tennessee and ranks 77 nationally with $7.1 billion. Both rankings use total commercial real estate loans rather than Tennessee property lending alone.
More BestCRE lender rankings
CRE lenders by state
BestCRE rankings are editorially independent and built only from public regulatory filings; no bank pays for placement. Call report figures describe loans held on each bank’s balance sheet and do not show loan terms, rates or current appetite. BestCRE is not a lender and does not make loans. Benchmark rates are informational, not quotes. See our Legal Disclaimer and Compensation Disclosure.