<ARTICLE>                                            9
<CIK>                        0000310979
<NAME>                       First Banks, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  9-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          Dec-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             Jan-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               Sep-30-1999
<CASH>                                          27,294
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                             367
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                16,000
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                     0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                     91,851
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                           1,898
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                             1,795
<LOANS>                                        713,555
<ALLOWANCE>                                     14,717
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 904,382
<DEPOSITS>                                     774,743
<SHORT-TERM>                                     7,243
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                              7,859
<LONG-TERM>                                     44,202
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                           956
<OTHER-SE>                                      69,379
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 904,382
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                 44,852
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                4,862
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                   550
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                50,264
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                              18,045
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              18,648
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                           31,616
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                      303
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                 174
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                 24,568
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 10,573
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                      10,573
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     6,079
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.06
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.06
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                    8.69
<LOANS-NON>                                      4,328
<LOANS-PAST>                                        97
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                     0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                  4,234
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                12,127
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                    1,009
<RECOVERIES>                                     1,830
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                               14,717
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                             9,220
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                  0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                          5,497