Access to Mainstream Financial Services

Mainstream financial services refers to the features such as checking and savings accounts offered by traditional banks. Many low-income households also rely on alternative financial services provided by check cashing stores, payday lenders, rent-to-own stores and paid tax preparers. Households are considered “unbanked” if they do not have a checking or savings account; "underbanked" households may have a traditional bank account but also rely on alternative financial services for some transactions. Estimates for the number of financial accounts is provided by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) through financial survey data collected GfK MRI in a nationally representative survey of U.S. households.

Neighborhood Indicator Value Ranksort descending
Overton 99.0% 1
Apple Valley 66.3% 2
Brummitt Heights 63.9% 3
Five Points South 63.3% 4
Crestwood South 62.5% 5
Oxmoor 61.4% 6
Hooper City 60.1% 7
Dolomite 54.1% 8
Highland Park 53.9% 9
Forest Park 53.4% 10
Hillman Park 53.1% 11
Crestline 52.6% 12
Roebuck Springs 52.4% 13
Hillman 49.2% 14
Crestwood North 48.7% 15
Smithfield Estates 48.6% 16
Redmont Park 47.9% 17
Killough Springs 46.6% 18
Eastwood 45.9% 19
Central City 45.7% 20
Bush Hills 45.0% 21
Sherman Heights 44.9% 22
Sun Valley 44.5% 23
Glen Iris 43.2% 24
Spring Lake 41.9% 25
Brownsville Heights 41.1% 26
West End Manor 41.0% 27
Belview Heights 40.8% 28
Huffman 40.0% 29
Fountain Heights 38.9% 30
Pine Knoll Vista 38.8% 31
East Thomas 38.4% 32
Echo Highlands 38.4% 32
Mason City 37.8% 34
South Titusville 37.7% 35
Roebuck 37.5% 36
Liberty Highlands 37.3% 37
East Birmingham 36.7% 38
South East Lake 36.5% 39
Garden Highlands 36.4% 40
Bridlewood 35.9% 41
Druid Hills 35.7% 42
Green Acres 35.2% 43
Central Park 35.2% 43
Woodland Park 35.1% 45
Oak Ridge Park 34.8% 46
Penfield Park 34.3% 47
Smithfield 33.8% 48
Oakwood Place 33.8% 48
Sandusky 33.6% 50
Norwood 33.2% 51
Acipco-Finley 32.9% 52
Maple Grove 32.2% 53
Rising - West Princeton 30.9% 54
Powderly 30.3% 55
North Pratt 30.3% 55
East Lake 30.2% 57
North Birmingham 30.1% 58
East Brownville 30.0% 59
Zion City 29.8% 60
North Avondale 28.2% 61
College Hills 28.2% 61
Woodlawn 28.1% 63
Roosevelt 28.1% 63
West Brownville 28.0% 65
Fairview 27.9% 66
Jones Valley 27.9% 66
Arlington - West End 27.9% 66
Enon Ridge 27.9% 66
South Pratt 27.5% 70
Ensley Highlands 26.8% 71
Inglenook 26.7% 72
West Goldwire 25.9% 73
Ensley 25.7% 74
Wylam 24.7% 75
Thomas 24.7% 75
Brown Springs 24.5% 77
Airport Highlands 24.3% 78
Graymont 23.9% 79
Germania Park 23.8% 80
Central Pratt 23.3% 81
Riley 22.8% 82
Evergreen 20.9% 83
Wahouma 20.9% 83
South Woodlawn 20.6% 85
North East Lake 20.6% 85
Collegeville 20.1% 87
Kingston 19.8% 88
Fairmont 19.3% 89
North Titusville 18.8% 90
Grasselli Heights 18.5% 91
Southside 17.8% 92
Oak Ridge 17.6% 93
Harriman Park 17.3% 94
East Avondale 15.2% 95
Tarpley City 15.0% 96
Tuxedo 14.1% 97
Gate City 10.4% 98
Industrial Center 6.9% 99

Key Citations:

  1. Rhine, S. and Greene, W. (2012). Factors That Contribute to Becoming Unbanked. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 47.1, 27-45.
  2. Klawitter, M. and Fletschner, G. (2006). Banked or Unbanked? Individual and family access to savings and checking accounts. Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs.
  3. Kutty, Nadinee K. (2008). Using the Making Connections Survey Data to Analyze Housing Mobility and Child Outcomes among Low-Income Families. Report submitted to the Center for Housing Policy.
  4. 2011 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households. (2012).

    5. Additional Resources:
    FDIC Research and Publications