CURRENCIES The Ledger Community banks are essential The numbers don't lie: Community banks are a financial resource for many rural Americans-many times their only one. 20% Community banks serve as the only physical financial institution in 20 percent of counties. In 85 counties, a single community bank branch is the only bank office. That's more counties than in the entire state of Michigan (83). Community banks continue to operate nearly three times as many rural branches as other banks. Between 2013 and 2018, community banks closed rural offices at less than half the rate of other banks. Community banks Non-community banks 6,314 Community banks 2,340 Non-community banks 12 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q April 2019 -4.6 -11.5 % change in total offices Source: FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile: Third Quarter 2018