Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state before you talk to any lender. Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state.
Credit Unions vs Payday Loans in Mesa, AZ
1 credit union is headquartered in Mesa, with 2,174 members. Credit unions are member-owned and often offer small personal loans and payday alternative loans (PALs) at far lower rates than payday lenders.
- Credit unions
- 1
- Members
- 2,174
- Federal
- 1
- State-chartered
- 0
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Mesa
Mesa has 23 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 23.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 2,174 members — roughly 0 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
0.2 per 100k residents
2,174 members
Payday & loan stores
23
4.2 per 100k residents
7 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Mesa: TitleMax (9), CASH 1 Loans (4), ACE Cash Express (3), Speedy Cash (3), OneMain Financial (2).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Mesa
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Arizona rate cap (36% APR) | $92.30/mo | $53.79 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR) | $90.27/mo | $41.62 |
| Payday loan renewed every 2 weeks (typical $15 per $100, not available in Arizona) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Arizona rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 1.4%
Example calculation with fixed monthly payments; the payday row shows typical out-of-state pricing for comparison. Actual rates and terms vary by lender.
What it means for a household in Mesa
- Median household income
- $79,612
- A $400 emergency equals
- 1.8 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 12.0%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 10.7%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Mesa are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Arizona
| Payday loan in AZ | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 36% APR | Up to 28% |
| Term | Usually 2–4 weeks, due in one payment | 1 to 12 months, in installments |
| Credit check | Usually none; a bank account and income are required | Membership required; payments can be reported to credit bureaus |
Payday rules: Arizona law as summarized on our Arizona payday page. PAL rules: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) rules for federal credit unions (PAL I and PAL II); state-chartered credit unions may offer similar small loans.
Credit unions headquartered in Mesa
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Em Federal Credit UnionFederal | 50 W Iron Ave Mesa, AZ 85210 | 2,174 | truwest.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Mesa
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Mesa with addresses, phone numbers and hours. Check a credit union first — a PAL or small personal loan usually costs far less.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1205 E Broadway Rd Mesa, AZ 85204 | (480) 214-7820 | — | 4.9 |
| 1423 S Country Club Dr #15 Mesa, AZ 85210 | (480) 253-4121 | — | 4.9 |
| 1954 W Broadway Rd #110 Mesa, AZ 85202 | (480) 214-6040 | — | 5.0 |
| 2103 W Guadalupe Rd Mesa, AZ 85202 | (480) 491-5853 | — | 4.9 |
| 2801 E Main St Mesa, AZ 85213 | (480) 981-8240 | — | 4.9 |
| 6749 E University Dr Mesa, AZ 85205 | (480) 253-4824 | — | 4.9 |
| 6920 E Baseline Rd Ste 101 Mesa, AZ 85209 | (480) 214-7833 | — | 5.0 |
| 715 E McKellips Rd Mesa, AZ 85203 | (480) 969-5549 | — | 5.0 |
| 9205 E Apache Trail Mesa, AZ 85207 | (480) 380-4766 | — | 4.9 |
| 1203 W University Dr Mesa, AZ 85201 | (480) 833-0674 | — | 4.9 |
| 1214 W Baseline Rd Mesa, AZ 85202 | (480) 576-8080 | — | 5.0 |
| 4355 E University Dr #111 Mesa, AZ 85205 | (480) 588-2278 | — | 4.9 |
| 455 N Country Club Dr Mesa, AZ 85201 | (480) 962-8775 | — | 4.8 |
| 6750 E Main St #103 Mesa, AZ 85205 | (480) 830-0946 | — | 4.9 |
| 758 S Alma School Rd Unit 412 Mesa, AZ 85210 | (480) 844-7944 | — | 5.0 |
| 760 N Country Club Dr Mesa, AZ 85201 | (480) 649-7946 | — | 4.9 |
| 1215 S Country Club Dr Mesa, AZ 85210 | (480) 844-2274 | — | 4.9 |
| 1242 W Main St Mesa, AZ 85201 | (480) 464-2274 | — | 4.9 |
| 1960 W Baseline Rd #101 Mesa, AZ 85202 | (480) 755-1110 | — | 4.9 |
| 454 N Lindsay Rd A8 Mesa, AZ 85213 | (480) 834-0815 | — | 3.7 |
| 7115 E Baseline Rd #109 Mesa, AZ 85209 | (480) 360-2958 | — | 3.7 |
| 6620 E McKellips Rd Ste 103 Mesa, AZ 85215 | (480) 608-5600 | — | 5.0 |
| 1118 E Southern Ave Mesa, AZ 85204 | (480) 795-5481 | — | 4.4 |
More about Mesa
Only credit union headquarters are listed, with the address on file with the NCUA; phone numbers and branch locations are on each credit union’s website. Many credit unions also have branches in Mesa and nearby — check membership requirements, as some are open to anyone who lives or works in the area. Loan stores: storefront locations of major payday, installment and title lenders; call ahead to confirm hours.