<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
     (Replace this text with the legend)
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000801337
<NAME>                        Webster Financial Corporation
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1000
<CURRENCY>                                          US
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                    3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JUL-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
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<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                     0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                     0
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<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         444,980
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           447,237
<LOANS>                                      3,784,771
<ALLOWANCE>                                     52,273
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<DEPOSITS>                                   4,265,011
<SHORT-TERM>                                 1,971,466
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            170,953
<LONG-TERM>                                     40,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                           136
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<INTEREST-OTHER>                                     0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                     0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              66,482
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                           49,606
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                    3,550
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                               1,234
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                 39,795
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 15,978
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                      15,978
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     9,690
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.72
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.70
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                    3.18
<LOANS-NON>                                     38,266
<LOANS-PAST>                                         0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                     0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                      0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                50,265
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                    3,811
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<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                               52,273
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                            52,273
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                  0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                              0