<ARTICLE>                                          9
<LEGEND>                                           
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
Consolidated  Balance Sheet at March 31, 1997  (Unaudited) and the  Consolidated
Statement of Income for the Three Months Ended March 31, 1997 (Unaudited) and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                              0000916484
<NAME>                                             GREAT FINANCIAL CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                       1000
<CURRENCY>                                         U.S. DOLLARS
       
                                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                      3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                     JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                       MAR-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                            1
<CASH>                                                38,622
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                                11,942
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                           0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                           0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                          832,379
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                                     0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                       0
<LOANS>                                            2,004,067
<ALLOWANCE>                                           14,128
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     3,002,142
<DEPOSITS>                                         1,835,495
<SHORT-TERM>                                         284,015
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                                   70,099
<LONG-TERM>                                          533,426
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<COMMON>                                                 165
<OTHER-SE>                                           278,942
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                     3,002,142
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                       40,042
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                     12,236
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                         217
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                      52,495
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                    21,796
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    32,095
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                                 20,400
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                            723
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                       528
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                       17,507
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                       11,355
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                             7,453
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                            0
<CHANGES>                                                  0
<NET-INCOME>                                           7,453
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                           0.53
<EPS-DILUTED>                                           0.53
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                          3.11
<LOANS-NON>                                            6,865
<LOANS-PAST>                                          91,096  <F1>
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                       1,982
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                          633  <F2>
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                      13,538
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                            253
<RECOVERIES>                                             120
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                     14,128
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                                  14,128
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                        0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                                    0
<FN>
<F1>  ACCRUING LOANS 90 DAYS OR MORE PAST DUE TOTALING  $91,096  INCLUDES FHA/VA
      LOANS WITH LIMITED CREDIT RISK TOTALING  $88,006.  MOST OF GREAT FINANCIAL
      CORPORATION'S INVESTMENT IN THESE LOANS IS RECOVERABLE THROUGH CLAIMS MADE
      AGAINST THE FHA OR VA SUBJECT TO THE RISKS OF RECOVERY.
<F2>  OTHER  PROBLEM LOANS  CONSIST OF THOSE LOANS  CLASSIFIED  AS  SUBSTANDARD,
      DOUBTFUL OR LOSS UNDER OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION REGULATIONS AND  WHICH
      ARE NOT REPORTED AS  NONACCRUAL, ACCRUING  90 DAYS OR  MORE  PAST DUE,  OR
      RESTRUCTURED.
</FN>