Best Banks in the Northeast

Increasingly, consumers are considering regional bank options alongside national ones. While not as widespread (no coast-to-coast ATMs), regional banks can offer a better banking experience and more perks than many national banks and credit unions.

Well-resourced, regional banks generally own and manage several billion dollars in assets, and can have hundreds of locations across multiple states.

This article will cover the top banks in the Northeast region, examining banks with branches in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington D.C.

6 Best Regional Banks in the Northeast

Here is our list of the best banks in the Northeastern U.S. for 2024:

1. TD Bank
2. Valley National Bank
3. Fulton Bank
4. PNC
5. Capital One
6. First National Bank of Pennsylvania

1. TD Bank

Best for: Consumers who want an outstanding in-person banking experience

📍State Availability: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

TD Bank is one of the most accessible consumer banks you’ll find in the Northeast area. It has over 1,100 branches and a larger network of over 2,600 ATMs. Beyond traditional banking services, TD Bank offers investment services for retirement planning and wealth management, as well as banking and financial services for small banks.

Beyond its large footprint of regional branches, TD Bank offers customer phone support 24/7 to deliver round-the-clock human support. Additionally, the bank’s mobile app boasts a 4.8-star rating in iTunes and a 4.2-star rating in Google Play.

2. Valley National Bank

Best for: Consumers who want rewards checking

📍State Availability: New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Alabama

Valley National Bank is known for its friendly, personalized service that you won’t find with larger national banks like Bank of America (BOA) or Chase Bank.

Although Valley National has branch locations in the Southeast region, it makes our list as one of the best Northeast regional banks. It offers a full range of banking products and services — the same you’ll find at much larger national institutions — but with a small business feel and often more competitive rates.

The bank offers seven (7) checking account options, including interest-bearing accounts and options for teens and older adults. Its popular All Access Rewards Checking Account gives customers a $20 monthly cash reward for setting up recurring direct deposits, with a minimum deposit amount of $750 per month.

3. Fulton Bank

Best for: Consumers who want a diverse range of products within one institution

📍State Availability: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

Headquartered in Lancaster, Pa., Fulton Bank is known for its excellent, in-person banking experience and diverse range of financial products and services for personal, small business, and commercial banking.

Many consider Fulton’s consumer checking accounts to be the bank’s strongest product, with options ranging from premier interest-bearing accounts to low-fee checking for young adults. For many accounts, the bank offers easy ways to waive monthly fees and there are no fees for any savings account that has a balance of at least $100.

4. PNC Bank

Best for: Full-service banking with community bank feel

📍State Availability: Alabama, Arizona, California,  Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

Headquartered in Pennsylvania, PNC Bank has a footprint that extends far outside of the Northeast. It has branch locations in over 20 states and Washington D.C., making it one of the country’s largest regional banks.

PNC has a diverse range of products and services, both traditional and digital, to meet the needs of business and consumer customers of all ages and financial standings. This includes banking services designed especially for students, military personnel, retirees, and other specialty circumstances.

5. Capital One Bank

Best for: Consumers who want in-person banking and outstanding online and mobile banking

📍State Availability: Branches in Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Known for their credit cards, Capital One is actually a full-service bank. Since 2005, Capital One has offered a full range of personal banking services and products. The bank scores high marks for customer satisfaction on J.D. Power’s U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Survey for 2023.

Capital One customers enjoy high APYs on checking and savings accounts, low-fee and no-fee accounts, an extensive ATM network, and highly rated customer service. In total, the bank offers over 750 branches and 70,000 fee-free ATMs. Most of Capital One’s branch locations are in New York, Texas, and Virginia, although it has expanded its retail presence into Canada and the United Kingdom.

As a major differentiating perk, Capital One has over 50 cafe locations throughout the U.S. — including states that don’t have any Capital One bank branches. These cafes are open to the general public but have special perks for credit card and account holders. Beyond coffee-shop drinks (Capital One customers get discounts) and free WiFi, the cafes have many of the same features as bank centers such as free deposits, withdrawals, and bill payments.

6. First National Bank of Pennsylvania

Best for: Area residents who want a range of low-fee and no-fee accounts to choose from

📍State Availability: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The First National Bank of Pennsylvania (FNBP) is a solid option for consumers who live in the Northeast region and want a community bank that offers big-bank conveniences.

First National offers a range of bank account options, including five (5) different checking accounts. FNBP also offers CDs, HSAs, IRAs, money market accounts, auto loans, investment services, and specialty banking for physicians, students, and estates.

Compare the Top Banks in the Northeast

*Fees cannot be waived for TD Simple Checking ($5.95/month) or TD Essential Banking ($4.95/month).
**Fees can be waived
***$4.95 Xpress account monthly fee is waived only for primary account holders under the age of 25.
^$5 monthly service charge for Foundation Checking is waived only for consumers aged 62 or older.

How to Choose a Bank in Your Region

When choosing the best regional bank, here are some of the features that you should consider:

• Locations: Regional banks by definition operate in select regional areas, so make sure that there is a branch and/or ATM near you — or that you are comfortable doing all of your banking online.
• Mobile app: An easy-to-navigate app is a must if you’re considering a regional bank. With fewer branch locations, the ability to conduct business from your phone is all the more important. Make sure the bank does have an app, and then check the ratings and reviews.
• ATM network: If you regularly withdraw cash, make sure that your bank has in-network ATMs in areas where you live.
• Zelle: If you use digital means to send cash to friends and family, look for a bank that offers integration with Zelle or other similar services. Increasingly, Zelle is becoming the most popular virtual wallet option for banks and credit unions.
• Interest rates: APY rates can vary greatly from bank to bank, or even from product to product within the same financial institution. Make sure to compare all relevant product rates from one bank to the next.
• FDIC insurance: Ensure that the bank you’re considering is in fact FDIC-insured so that your deposits, up to $100K per account, are safe.

Our Methodology

The BankBonus team has analyzed hundreds of banks and financial institutions to provide our readers with a thoroughly informed and accurate review.

We evaluated digital financial platforms, online banks, credit unions, regional banks, and national banks with a strong presence throughout the New England and Middle Atlantic regions.

Our assessment of the best Northeastern banks took into account these key considerations:

• Product lineup: We review the types of accounts, loans, and services offered by each bank, as well as the number of account options.
• Fees and pricing: We also consider each bank’s fees, including monthly maintenance fees, NSF or overdraft fees, and other service charges.
• Account features: To compare financial institutions, we take a close look at the banking features, limits, and capabilities each one has to offer.
• Interest: Along with these features, we examined whether or not the banks offered any interest-bearing accounts. We compared any rates of interest to industry averages.
• Brand reputation: The bank accounts we recommend have been scrupulously vetted to ensure they are legitimate, secure, and backed by FDIC We also considered J.D. Power and Better Business Bureau (BBB) scores.
• User experience: Additionally, we evaluate the ease of navigation and the availability of resources on each bank’s website, and factor in the reviews of the bank’s mobile app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Branch and ATM access: To assess convenience, we also examine each bank’s branch and ATM availability and consider ATM fees and any ATM reimbursement policies.
• Customer service: In our review process, we also explore available customer service channels, hours of availability, and third-party review forums like TrustPilot and Deposit Accounts.