Median Total Costs
$4,275
−36.0% vs national ($6,680)
↑ $155 vs prior year
Median Rate
6.620%
+2.0% vs national (6.490%)
Median Origination
$1,470
Purchase Originations
58,571
Denial Rate
7.0%
vs national avg (9.0%)
Missouri is a deed-of-trust state, meaning most residential mortgages are secured by a deed of trust rather than a traditional mortgage instrument. Foreclosure is non-judicial in Missouri, allowing lenders to proceed through a trustee sale without court involvement, which generally makes the process faster than judicial states. Missouri does not require an attorney to be present at closing; title companies and escrow officers routinely conduct closings, making it a title-company closing state rather than an attorney-required state. Missouri imposes a real property transfer tax, though the rate is relatively modest compared to many states. Title insurance rates in Missouri operate under a file-and-use regulatory framework, meaning insurers file rates with the Department of Commerce and Insurance before use. State law limits prepayment penalties on certain loan types, but federal rules governing qualified mortgages layer on top of state provisions. The Missouri Division of Finance and the Department of Commerce and Insurance share oversight of mortgage lenders and title insurers respectively. Consumers with complaints may also contact the Missouri Attorney General's Office.
Conventional loans dominate Missouri's purchase market, accounting for 66.0% of 2024 originations (37,760 loans) at a median rate of 6.75%. FHA loans are the second most common at 19.1% of volume (10,942 loans), reflecting affordability needs in the state's mid-tier markets. VA loans represent a meaningful 11.1% share (6,348 loans), consistent with Missouri's several active-duty and veteran population centers, including Fort Leonard Wood. USDA loans make up 3.8% of originations (2,154 loans), supported by Missouri's substantial rural geography and eligible rural-development corridors.
Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc.
Based in Columbia, Missouri, Flat Branch Mortgage led the state in 2024 purchase originations with 5,760 loans and posted a median total closing cost of $4,143, close to the state median. Its footprint is concentrated in Missouri and neighboring Midwest markets.
Mortgage Research Center, LLC
Operating primarily under the Veterans United Home Loans brand and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, this lender ranked fifth by volume in 2024 with 2,030 originations and recorded the lowest median total closing costs among the top-five lenders at $3,913, reflecting its heavy focus on VA lending.
DAS Acquisition Company, LLC
DAS Acquisition Company, which operates as USA Mortgage, is headquartered in St. Louis and serves Missouri borrowers across conventional, FHA, and government loan programs, recording 2,676 originations in 2024 with a median total closing cost of $4,702.
| Loan type | Volume | Median Rate | Median Total Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| conventional | 37,873 | 6.625% | $3,724 |
| fha | 11,871 | 6.500% | $8,133 |
| va | 6,633 | 6.250% | $4,543 |
| usda | 2,194 | 6.500% | $5,377 |
Ranked by median total loan costs among lenders with 50+ purchase originations in Missouri.
| Rank | Lender | Median Total Costs ↑ | Median Rate ↕ | Median Origination ↕ | Volume ↕ | vs. Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $318 | 7.750% | $0 | 78 | −$3,957 | |
| 2 | $1,737 | 6.375% | $0 | 56 | −$2,538 | |
| 3 | $1,851 | 6.750% | $595 | 140 | −$2,424 | |
| 4 | $2,232 | 6.875% | $700 | 249 | −$2,043 | |
| 5 | $2,236 | 8.000% | $1,810 | 63 | −$2,039 | |
| 6 | $2,243 | 6.750% | $700 | 116 | −$2,032 | |
| 7 | $2,299 | 6.500% | $0 | 103 | −$1,976 | |
| 8 | $2,309 | 5.625% | $250 | 78 | −$1,966 | |
| 9 | $2,528 | 6.250% | $850 | 87 | −$1,747 | |
| 10 | $2,637 | 6.625% | $935 | 60 | −$1,638 | |
| 11 | $2,691 | 7.183% | $745 | 82 | −$1,584 | |
| 12 | $2,706 | 6.500% | $828 | 52 | −$1,569 | |
| 13 | $2,708 | 6.375% | $250 | 326 | −$1,567 | |
| 14 | $2,712 | 6.125% | $0 | 52 | −$1,563 | |
| 15 | $2,742 | 6.500% | $970 | 80 | −$1,533 | |
| 16 | $2,765 | 6.750% | $785 | 121 | −$1,510 | |
| 17 | $2,775 | 6.125% | $926 | 360 | −$1,500 | |
| 18 | $2,791 | 6.500% | $900 | 63 | −$1,484 | |
| 19 | $2,831 | 6.000% | $0 | 523 | −$1,444 | |
| 20 | $2,876 | 6.000% | $1,068 | 62 | −$1,399 | |
| 21 | $2,877 | 6.625% | $825 | 268 | −$1,398 | |
| 22 | $2,879 | 6.500% | $950 | 94 | −$1,396 | |
| 23 | $3,046 | 6.500% | $1,000 | 241 | −$1,229 | |
| 24 | $3,054 | 6.250% | $1,400 | 81 | −$1,221 | |
| 25 | $3,086 | 6.625% | $1,100 | 75 | −$1,189 |
Includes lenders with 50+ purchase originations in Missouri. Source: HMDA 2025. Sorted by median total loan costs.
Missouri buyers generally face total closing costs in a below-average range relative to national benchmarks, driven largely by competitive title and settlement fees. On conventional loans, lender origination charges and title insurance premiums tend to be the largest line items. FHA loans carry a substantially higher cost profile — primarily due to the upfront mortgage insurance premium — making the loan-type choice a significant cost variable. USDA and VA loans also run above the conventional median, partly because of their respective guarantee and funding fees. The line items most worth shopping are lender origination fees, title insurance (both lender and owner policies), and settlement or closing fees, all of which can vary materially between providers in Missouri's file-and-use title environment.
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Grades A–F from verified closing disclosure and loan estimate uploads — not industry medians.
St. Louis County
8,807 originations
Jackson County
7,563 originations
St. Charles County
4,846 originations
Clay County
3,249 originations
Greene County
3,190 originations
Jefferson County
2,707 originations
St. Louis city
2,257 originations
Boone County
1,527 originations
Cass County
1,437 originations
Jasper County
1,316 originations
Platte County
1,302 originations
Christian County
1,152 originations
Franklin County
993 originations
Buchanan County
830 originations
Lincoln County
704 originations
Cape Girardeau County
697 originations
Johnson County
686 originations
St. Francois County
650 originations
Pulaski County
621 originations
Cole County
621 originations
Newton County
582 originations
Warren County
517 originations
Camden County
496 originations
Taney County
477 originations
Pettis County
389 originations
Webster County
367 originations
Callaway County
360 originations
Butler County
353 originations
Phelps County
347 originations
Polk County
336 originations
Lawrence County
329 originations
Laclede County
326 originations
Lafayette County
323 originations
Stone County
318 originations
Scott County
265 originations
Clinton County
259 originations
Ray County
241 originations
Howell County
240 originations
Barry County
236 originations
Marion County
230 originations
Henry County
227 originations
Randolph County
223 originations
Audrain County
207 originations
Miller County
181 originations
Benton County
176 originations
Stoddard County
174 originations
Texas County
170 originations
Perry County
165 originations
Adair County
163 originations
Washington County
161 originations
McDonald County
156 originations
Saline County
155 originations
Bates County
151 originations
Andrew County
145 originations
Crawford County
141 originations
Morgan County
140 originations
Dallas County
137 originations
Vernon County
135 originations
Dunklin County
132 originations
Ste. Genevieve County
125 originations
Nodaway County
124 originations
Wright County
122 originations
Cooper County
117 originations
Pike County
107 originations
New Madrid County
103 originations
Hickory County
102 originations
Livingston County
100 originations
Gasconade County
100 originations
See Missouri closing cost details, fee benchmarks, and county comparisons → Missouri Closing Costs Guide
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Data source: HMDA Modified Loan Application Register 2025, published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Statistics reflect originated first-lien purchase mortgages on owner-occupied principal residences. Medians exclude loans with exempt or unreported fee disclosures. Learn more at ffiec.cfpb.gov.