Southeast & Southwest: First Citizens
![](https://money.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bestbanks_firstcitizens.png?quality=60&w=320)
WHY IT'S A WINNER
First Citizens is a midsize bank with a broad geographic footprint and a relatively friendly ATM policy. The Premier Checking account also offers a 0.25-percentage-point discount on HELOCS.
Caveats
Both checking and money market yields are relatively low. And if you don’t meet the balance or direct-deposit minimum, your next best choice is the bank’s non-interest-bearing Select Checking account.
Branches
566 branches in Arizona, California, Colorado, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia
Standout Account
Maintenance fee: $16
How to waive the fee: Keep a $5,000 combined balance or direct deposit of at least $4,000 a month.
Outside ATM fee: $0 for first five each month
Interest on $5,000: 0.01%
Here are Money's picks for the Best Regional Banks of 2015-2016:
- Midwest: FirstMerit
- Northeast: First Niagara
- South & West: BBVA Compass
- Multiple Regions: Capital One