Fifty-five percent of community banks have had an increase in deposits from new customers according to a report by the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and Aite Group LLC. Seventeen percent reported customers withdrawing deposits from their institution.

“While the financial crisis has affected banks of all sizes in all regions, community banks continue to lend and are typically faring much better than the larger banks because they didn’t participate in the high-risk activities that led to problems we are experiencing,” said ICBA President and CEO Camden Fine, in a release.

Still, 73 percent reported an increase in loan delinquencies and charge-offs since the start of the crisis, the survey showed. Forty percent of community banks have seen an increase in loan origination volume during the last year, but 11 percent believe the crisis has “significantly” curtailed their ability to lend.

Fifty-seven percent of community banks surveyed had an increase in new retail customers during the third and fourth quarters of 2008 compared with the first half of the year, while 47 percent saw an increase in new business customers.

The report, “The Impact of the Financial Crisis on U.S. Community Banks: New Opportunities in Difficult Times,” is based on a survey of 743 community bank respondents in February.