U.S. community banks outperformed the industry with 5% domestic deposit growth.
However, they lagged when it came to interest-bearing deposits (IBD), which rose 5.5% industrywide but just 0.8% at community banks.
In spite of that weaker IBD growth overall, many well-rated community banks are actively seeking deposits and offering attractive interest rates. They can be found in this week’s Jumbo Rate News along with several others that reported outsize deposit growth in 2025.
Jumbo Rate News JRN 43:14
Community Banks Posting Outsized Deposit Growth
U.S. banks increased their domestic deposits by 3.9% in 2025. When taken separately, community banks did even better with a 5% increase.
When we separate interest-bearing from noninterest-bearing deposits, we get a totally different picture: the entire industry grew its interest-bearing deposits (IBD) by 5.5%. In aggregate, community banks grew IBD by just 0.8%.
There are still plenty of well-rated community banks looking for your deposits… and willing to pay interest for them. Noninterest-bearing deposits are a different story, dropping 1.5% at the nation’s community banks during 2025.
The 51 community banks we have listed in this week’s Jumbo Rate News all qualify financially for listing in the newsletter. In addition, each is rated at least 3½-Stars (most are higher), is at least ten years old, and increased total deposits by at least 33% during calendar 2025 without the help of an acquisition. Each also has its own story.
The last time we reported on 5-Star Servbank, N.A., Oswego, IL (55130) (Autumn of 2023 JRN 40:38) it was still known as Allied First Bank, FSB. We knew then it was poised for growth. In 2025, Servbank grew its assets by 21.8% and its total deposits by 39.7%. It also started shifting the mix of those deposits. At year-end 2024, only 17% of Servbank’s deposits were interest-bearing. Today, they represent 32%.
Since the ownership change in 2023, Servbank had not acquired any other institutions… until last month. While these numbers are not reflected on the page 5 list (which is based on 12/31/2025 data), its March 13, 2026 acquisition of 5-Star Iroquois FS&LA, Watseka, IL (29675) will add another $830 million in assets and $655 million in total deposits to Servbank’s March 2026 numbers.
Next up is 4-Star Table Rock Community Bank, Kimberling City, MO (58300) which acquired a bank (First Community Bank of the Ozarks, Branson, MO) in December 2024 (JRN 42:12). Aided by that $193 million asset acquisition, Table Rock’s assets grew 147%; deposits grew 137% in calendar 2024. It hasn’t stopped. In 2025, assets and deposits grew another 32.8% and 35.9%, respectively. Table Rock now boasts assets of $542.6 million and deposits of $480.4 million.
In 2024, Stearns Bank of Holdingford, MN, became part of VersaBank Holdings US Corp. out of Canada. The name of the bank was changed to 4-Star VersaBank USA, NA, Holdingford, MN (10160).
A year later, VersaBank president, David Taylor, celebrated by live-streaming both the annual shareholder meeting in Canada and the ringing of the bell at the Nasdaq closing ceremony in New York. Now, after 20 successful months, Versa is selling the single branch and its associated assets to Stearns.
As a completely digital bank, the branch is no longer needed. In fact, according to Mr. Taylor, the efficiency of the U.S. operation already surpassed that of the Canadian operations. VersaBank grew its deposits more than 700% last year. The office will be folded into 3½-Star Stearns Bank, NA, St. Cloud, MN (10988). The OCC has already approved the transaction.
You may recall our story regarding 4-Star Maverick Bank, Fort Davis, TX (17446) (JRN 42:42). With a new name, new branches, and a new vision for the future, we assured you it was not done spreading its wings.
Maverick Bank’s 2025 asset growth of 63% and deposit growth of 66% proved it. This year (January 24, 2026) Maverick began the “non-organic” phase of its growth, acquiring Sandhills Bancshares, Inc. and its 4-Star Tejas Bank, Monahans, TX (18216). This transaction will add more than 50% to Maverick’s size ($239 million in assets and $210 million in deposits). Maverick Bank ended 2025 with assets of $468 million and deposits of $416 million.
We last reported on 4-Star Bank CMG, Madison, WI (11623) back in March 2022 (JRN 39:13) (when it was still Greenwoods State Bank.)
At that time, we were commending the bank for retooling its commercial loan portfolio. Today, we see a more complete retooling. It started with the name change last October to Bank CMG. Why CMG? Glad you asked.
In July 2024, Christopher M. George (CMG) purchased Greenwoods Financial Group, Inc, the sole shareholder of Greenwoods State Bank. This change of ownership, by itself, is an indication of future growth. That growth was organic in 2025, as both assets and deposits increased over 39%. This year’s another story.
In January, Bank CMG announced it will acquire 5-Star Farmers Savings Bank, Mineral Point, WI (13025). When completed, the transaction will boost Bank CMG’s asset and deposits by almost another 50%.
These last two were clearly looking for deposits when we reported on their CD specials in February (JRN 43:08). We checked again this week to find only personal CD specials on their websites. 5-Star American Pride Bank, Macon, GA (58584) has a 6 month personal CD available with a 4.00% APY while 5-Star Idaho First Bank, McCall, ID (58095) is offering a 10 month CD with a 3.60% APY (or 3.65% if over $250,000). Specials are how these banks are growing.
