<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from
Provident  Financial  Group,  Inc.'s 10-Q for September 30, 2000 and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1999
<CASH>                                            248,917
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                                  0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                  142,176
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                   57,683
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                     1,805,664
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                                  0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                    0
<LOANS>                                         6,574,935
<ALLOWANCE>                                        87,723
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  9,797,331
<DEPOSITS>                                      6,926,780
<SHORT-TERM>                                      655,916
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                               254,968
<LONG-TERM>                                     1,119,376
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                         7,000
<COMMON>                                           14,198
<OTHER-SE>                                        819,093
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                  9,797,331
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                   449,488
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                  80,450
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                    3,917
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                  533,855
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                192,739
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                284,921
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                             248,934
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                      37,610
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                     (1)
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                   242,470
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   169,472
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                        109,335
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                         0
<CHANGES>                                               0
<NET-INCOME>                                      109,335
<EPS-BASIC>                                          2.31
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        2.24
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                       3.80
<LOANS-NON>                                        61,303
<LOANS-PAST>                                       18,484
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                    1,557
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                    47,904
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                   78,867
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                      38,496
<RECOVERIES>                                        9,742
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                  87,723
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                               87,723
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                     0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                                 0