Community Banking Bulletin

Provides insights on trends or activities of primary interest to the community banking industry.

Recent Highlights and Features

Highlight: Residential loan balances stable; mortgage servicing assets fall

Loans secured by 1-4 family residential properties have remained stable as a percentage of capital while mortgage servicing...

Highlight: Overhead costs weigh more heavily on smaller banks

Non-interest expenses are increasing across community banks, particularly in non-itemized expense categories. Smaller banks...

Highlight: Asset quality metrics continue to normalize following pandemic-era distortions

Community bank asset quality metrics are normalizing following a period of historically elevated allowance levels and...

Highlight: Community bank mergers increased in 2025

Community bank mergers accelerated in 2025, with sellers exhibiting lower profitability than acquirers.

Highlight: Asset mix similarities shared by banks under $30 billion

Banks between $10 and $30 billion in total assets possess more asset mix similarities to community banking organizations than...

Highlight: Community bank capital ratios among historic highs

Tier 1 leverage ratios across community banks continue to increase, though levels vary across banks with differing operational...

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