Key Questions:

1. How at risk is Benton, Iowa to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. Loans taken out by home owners in Benton, Iowa are within a +/- 10 percent band of the national average. That is to say, Benton, Iowa will likely be affected by the subprime mortgage crisis just like the average county in the US.
2. How stretched will home owners in Benton, Iowa be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Benton, Iowa borrowed an average of 1.48 times their annual income for their mortgage. This compares to 1.83 for all of the US. Based on the national average, there will be a normal risk that Benton, Iowa homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. Who are the leading lenders in Benton, Iowa?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Wells Fargo Bank, Na, Countrywide Home Loans and Us Bank North Dakota. Do you have the best rate possible? Get quotes from mortgage lenders.
4. How likely are the owners of homes in Benton, Iowa to actually live in them?
   1. 95.3% of home owners in Benton, Iowa that applied for a mortgage in 2006 live in their homes versus owning them as an investment property. This compares to the national average of 89.0%.