Local counties rank highly on mortgage study

Three local counties are some of the best in the state to get a mortgage, according to a study released by financial data tracking firm SmartAsset.

Christian County ranked No. 3 statewide, with Greene County coming in at No. 7 and Webster County at No. 8, according to a news release. The study ranks counties based on how likely consumers are to be approved for a mortgage, rates, average five-year borrowing costs and property taxes.

In Christian County, the loan funding rate is roughly 73%, with annual average mortgage payments at $13,056, five-year borrowing costs at $68,146 and property taxes at $10,798. Its rating is 92.16. The higher the score, the better a county is for mortgages.

Greene County has a 73% loan funding rate, annual average mortgage payments of $13,056, five-year borrowing costs of $68,146 and property taxes of $11,324, according to the report. Its index score is 91.84.

The report indicates Webster County's index score is 91.62. Its loan funding rate is 68.13%, with annual mortgage payments of $13,056, five-year borrowing costs of $68,146 and property taxes of $7,894.

No. 1 statewide is northern Missouri’s Worth County, with a 77.42% loan funding rate, $13,056 annual mortgage payment, $68,146 in five-year borrowing costs and $11,808 in property taxes.

Christian County ranked No. 35 nationally, with Greene at No. 43 and Webster at No. 48, according to the report. Sioux County, Nebraska, is No. 1 in the nation.