Construction lending is only one part of a bank’s commercial real estate book, but it is a useful starting point for borrowers seeking financing for development and land. This BestCRE ranking orders banks headquartered in Ohio by construction, land development and other land loans as of June 30, 2026. The 20 banks in the table hold $47.6 billion in that category and $341.2 billion in total CRE loans. Their other reported CRE balances include $139.6 billion of multifamily loans, $57.1 billion of owner occupied loans and $96.8 billion of investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The figures come from FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C.
The headquarters screen matters. Ohio has 152 headquartered banks with $354.7 billion in total CRE loans, and the five largest account for 90.0% of that amount. The main BestCRE state ranking orders those institutions by total CRE loans, while this page focuses specifically on construction and land lending. Banks headquartered elsewhere are excluded from the ranking even when they operate Ohio branches and make loans in the state. The FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026 identifies that local branch presence. Borrowers should therefore treat the ranked table as a view of Ohio headquartered institutions, not as a complete list of every bank or lender available for an Ohio project.
Ohio banks ranked by construction and land loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Columbus, OH | $179,847 | $18,789 | $107,317 | $14,363 | +4.6% | 11.5% |
| 2 | U.S. Bank, N.A. | Cincinnati, OH | $50,718 | $9,378 | $14,458 | $9,005 | +10.2% | 12.3% |
| 3 | Fifth Third Bank, N.A. | Cincinnati, OH | $33,581 | $7,971 | $4,143 | $11,997 | +104.4% | 18.7% |
| 4 | The Huntington National Bank | Columbus, OH | $37,932 | $5,322 | $4,884 | $13,331 | +109.8% | 19.8% |
| 5 | KeyBank, N.A. | Cleveland, OH | $17,153 | $2,896 | $5,445 | $3,010 | +1.5% | 15.3% |
| 6 | First Financial Bank | Cincinnati, OH | $4,974 | $674 | $809 | $1,070 | +9.5% | 36.1% |
| 7 | The Park National Bank | Newark, OH | $3,839 | $614 | $356 | $1,034 | +43.7% | 39.5% |
| 8 | Peoples Bank | Marietta, OH | $2,429 | $292 | $470 | $706 | +1.2% | 35.6% |
| 9 | Civista Bank | Sandusky, OH | $1,885 | $265 | $307 | $389 | -1.8% | 57.8% |
| 10 | CFBank, N.A. | Columbus, OH | $976 | $252 | $182 | $224 | +14.5% | 53.6% |
| 11 | The Farmers National Bank of Canfield | Canfield, OH | $2,064 | $202 | $218 | $632 | +47.2% | 43.2% |
| 12 | Union Savings Bank | Cincinnati, OH | $525 | $169 | $115 | $0.0 | +5.4% | 14.8% |
| 13 | THE VINTON COUNTY NATIONAL BANK | Mcarthur, OH | $308 | $131 | $8.4 | $102 | +10.7% | 27.2% |
| 14 | The Croghan Colonial Bank | Fremont, OH | $633 | $109 | $111 | $98.5 | +36.7% | 70.8% |
| 15 | The Farmers & Merchants State Bank | Archbold, OH | $1,325 | $107 | $151 | $508 | -2.8% | 48.9% |
| 16 | The Ohio Valley Bank Company | Gallipolis, OH | $481 | $92.2 | $98.2 | $89.8 | +22.1% | 39.0% |
| 17 | The State Bank and Trust Company | Defiance, OH | $544 | $88.3 | $90.5 | $145 | +17.8% | 45.4% |
| 18 | The Union Bank Company | Columbus Grove, OH | $433 | $82.1 | $120 | $81.9 | +12.7% | 50.1% |
| 19 | LCNB National Bank | Lebanon, OH | $1,053 | $71.2 | $250 | $228 | -1.8% | 61.9% |
| 20 | First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lakewood | Lakewood, OH | $490 | $64.7 | $110 | $125 | +6.6% | 20.2% |
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 20 of 148 banks headquartered in Ohio that hold this loan type.
The table is led by large banks, but loan mix varies substantially. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. reports $18.8 billion in construction and land loans within a $179.8 billion CRE book, while U.S. Bank, N.A. reports $9.4 billion within $50.7 billion. Fifth Third Bank, N.A. has $8.0 billion and reported CRE growth of +104.4%. The Huntington National Bank has $5.3 billion and reported +109.8% growth. Among smaller institutions, CFBank, N.A. holds $252.3 million in construction and land loans within $976.4 million of total CRE loans. Concentration also differs. Fifth Third’s investor CRE to equity ratio is 0.57x, low relative to several smaller banks in the table. CFBank’s ratio is 3.06x and The Croghan Colonial Bank’s is 3.77x, both high relative to most listed institutions. These figures describe reported balance sheet size, mix, growth and concentration, not individual loan availability.
Out of state banks with branches in Ohio
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in Ohio | Deposits in Ohio ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNC Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 216 | $39,586 | $47,133 |
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 51 | $10,974 | $79,906 |
| Citizens Bank, N.A. | Rhode Island | 69 | $10,308 | $26,949 |
| WesBanco Bank, Inc. | West Virginia | 96 | $8,579 | $10,779 |
| Flagstar Bank, N.A. | New York | 26 | $2,759 | $35,271 |
| Dollar Bank, Federal Savings Bank | Pennsylvania | 28 | $2,504 | $2,765 |
| First Commonwealth Bank | Pennsylvania | 30 | $2,447 | $3,585 |
| First National Bank of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 28 | $2,269 | $12,016 |
| German American Bank | Indiana | 20 | $1,296 | $3,034 |
| CNB Bank | Pennsylvania | 12 | $970 | $3,090 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for Ohio only; CRE loans are bank wide.
The ranking is a starting point for a construction loan search
A large construction and land balance can indicate demonstrated appetite and capacity to hold these loans, but rank alone does not determine whether a bank will pursue a particular transaction. Borrowers can begin with the institutions reporting the largest balances, then compare the composition of each bank’s broader CRE book. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., for example, combines $18.8 billion of construction and land loans with $107.3 billion of multifamily loans. Fifth Third Bank, N.A. combines $8.0 billion of construction and land loans with $12.0 billion of owner occupied loans. Those mixes provide context about where each institution is most active.
Growth offers another screening signal. Banks adding CRE balances may be worth contacting, while concentration can indicate that an institution will be selective even when its reported construction portfolio is substantial. The final decision remains transaction specific and relationship driven. Bank lending is also local, so borrowers should consider headquarters, branch access and existing relationships alongside balance sheet figures. A practical search uses the table to identify a group of plausible banks, then asks each institution directly about current interest in the property type, location, sponsorship and requested loan size.
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The four CRE categories show different areas of balance sheet activity. KeyBank, N.A. reports $2.9 billion in construction and land loans, $5.4 billion in multifamily loans, $3.0 billion in owner occupied loans and $5.8 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. First Financial Bank reports $674.3 million in construction and land loans, compared with $2.4 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. THE VINTON COUNTY NATIONAL BANK presents a different mix, with $131.0 million in construction and land loans within a $308.3 million CRE portfolio.
The investor CRE to equity ratio compares construction, multifamily and non owner occupied nonfarm loans with total equity capital. It provides a concentration measure, not a credit judgment or a statement about an individual project. U.S. Bank, N.A. reports 0.61x, and The Huntington National Bank reports 0.74x. At the other end of the listed range, The Croghan Colonial Bank reports 3.77x and CFBank, N.A. reports 3.06x. Ratios that are high relative to other banks in the table can signal a need for selectivity, while lower ratios may indicate less investor CRE exposure relative to equity.
Ohio borrowers have bank and nonbank alternatives
Several banks headquartered outside Ohio have meaningful local branch networks. PNC Bank, N.A., headquartered in Delaware, has 216 Ohio branches and $39.6 billion of deposits in the state, while reporting $47.1 billion of total CRE loans across all states. Citizens Bank, N.A. has 69 Ohio branches and $10.3 billion of deposits in the state. WesBanco Bank, Inc. has 96 branches and $8.6 billion of Ohio deposits. Bank of America, N.A. has 51 branches, $11.0 billion of Ohio deposits and $79.9 billion of total CRE loans across all states.
Borrowers can also compare banks with debt funds, life companies, CMBS lenders, agency lenders and SBA lenders. Those nonbank sources do not appear in FDIC bank call reports, so this ranking cannot compare their activity with the listed institutions. Different lender categories may evaluate transactions through different channels, and reported bank balances do not establish current pricing or execution terms. Comparing several sources helps a borrower test current availability and determine which lender is prepared to evaluate the specific property, market, sponsorship and financing request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What loans are included in the Ohio construction lender ranking?
The ranking covers construction, land development and other land loans reported by banks headquartered in Ohio. It is one segment of commercial real estate lending, alongside multifamily, owner occupied and investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The 20 ranked banks report $47.6 billion in construction and land loans and $341.2 billion in total CRE loans. The category is useful for identifying institutions with reported exposure to development and land financing, but it does not disclose the property types, locations, sponsors or terms associated with individual loans.
Are the largest construction lenders also the largest CRE banks?
The leading construction lenders are generally among the largest CRE banks, although their ordering can differ. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ranks first nationally by total CRE loans and reports $179.8 billion of total CRE loans, including $18.8 billion of construction and land loans. U.S. Bank, N.A. ranks fifth nationally by total CRE loans and reports $50.7 billion of CRE loans, including $9.4 billion in the ranked category. The Huntington National Bank has a larger total CRE book than Fifth Third Bank, N.A., but Fifth Third reports the larger construction and land balance.
Which Ohio banks reported the strongest CRE growth?
The Huntington National Bank reported CRE growth of +109.8%, the highest figure among the listed institutions. Fifth Third Bank, N.A. followed with +104.4%. Among smaller banks, The Farmers National Bank of Canfield reported +47.2%, The Park National Bank reported +43.7%, and The Croghan Colonial Bank reported +36.7%. Growth measures the change in the overall CRE portfolio, not construction lending alone. It shows which banks added reported CRE balances, but it does not establish the source of that change or indicate whether a bank is currently approving new construction loans.
Which listed banks have the greatest CRE concentration?
The Croghan Colonial Bank reports investor CRE equal to 3.77x total equity capital, high relative to the other banks in the table. CFBank, N.A. reports 3.06x, LCNB National Bank reports 2.89x, and The State Bank and Trust Company reports 2.41x. By comparison, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. reports 0.48x and Fifth Third Bank, N.A. reports 0.57x. Concentration is one balance sheet measure and should not be read as a prediction of credit quality, approval or future lending. A highly concentrated bank may be selective about additional exposure.
What benchmark rates provide context for construction lending in 2026?
As of Oct 26, 2026, the Prime rate was 7.00%, SOFR was 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury was 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury was 4.96%, and Fed funds was 3.88%. These are market benchmarks, not quoted loan rates from the ranked banks. FDIC Call Reports do not show the pricing, spread, fees, term or structure available for a particular construction loan. Borrowers must obtain current proposals directly from lenders to compare actual economics. The benchmarks provide dated market context for that process but do not establish what any institution will offer.
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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.
