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 Aurora, CO
4 credit unions are headquartered in Aurora, with 39,808 members in total. 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
- 4
- Members
- 39,808
- Federal
- 3
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Aurora
Aurora has 13 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 4 credit unions headquartered here — about 3.2 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 39,808 members — roughly 9 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
4
0.9 per 100k residents
39,808 members
Payday & loan stores
13
2.8 per 100k residents
5 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Aurora: ACE Cash Express (6), Moneytree (3), Lendmark Financial Services (2), Advance America (1), Check Into Cash (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Aurora
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Colorado 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 Colorado) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Colorado rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 1.2%
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 Aurora
- Median household income
- $96,208
- A $400 emergency equals
- 1.5 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 10.1%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 10.2%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Aurora are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Colorado
| Payday loan in CO | 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: Colorado law as summarized on our Colorado 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 Aurora
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Age Credit UnionState-chartered | 3033 S. Parker Rd., Tower 1, Suite Aurora, CO 80014 | 13,418 | spaceagefcu.coop |
| Fitzsimons Federal Credit UnionFederal | 2201 N Fitzsimons Pkwy Aurora, CO 80045 | 12,964 | fitzsimonscu.com |
| Aurora Federal Credit UnionFederal | 610 S Abilene St Aurora, CO 80012 | 7,432 | auroracu.com |
| The District Federal Credit UnionFederal | 751 Chambers Road Aurora, CO 80011 | 5,994 | districtcreditunion.com |
Payday and installment loan stores in Aurora
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Aurora 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10390 E Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80010 | (303) 340-2658 | — | 4.8 |
| 1155 S Havana St Unit 12 Aurora, CO 80012 | (303) 873-6498 | — | 4.9 |
| 15034 E Mississippi Ave Aurora, CO 80012 | (303) 745-7519 | — | 4.5 |
| 15037 E Colfax Ave Unit Q Aurora, CO 80011 | (303) 367-9442 | — | 4.8 |
| 3105 S Peoria St B Aurora, CO 80014 | (303) 283-9941 | — | 4.4 |
| 636 Peoria St B Aurora, CO 80011 | (303) 341-7295 | — | 4.8 |
| 10305 E Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80010 | (303) 360-6669 | — | 4.8 |
| 12862 E Mississippi Ave Aurora, CO 80012 | (303) 873-6669 | — | 4.8 |
| 16880 E Iliff Ave Aurora, CO 80013 | (303) 755-6669 | — | 4.9 |
| 14605 E Arapahoe Rd Unit F Aurora, CO 80016 | (720) 372-1090 | — | 4.3 |
| 15025 E Mississippi Ave Aurora, CO 80012 | (303) 751-7745 | — | 4.1 |
| 15051 E Mississippi Ave Aurora, CO 80012 | (303) 755-5626 | — | 4.9 |
| 16950 E Iliff Ave Aurora, CO 80013 | (303) 283-9152 | — | 4.3 |
More about Aurora
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 Aurora 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.