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 Macon, GA
7 credit unions are headquartered in Macon, with 59,227 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
- 7
- Members
- 59,227
- Federal
- 2
- State-chartered
- 5
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Macon
Macon has 11 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 7 credit unions headquartered here — about 1.6 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 59,227 members — roughly 36 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
7
4.2 per 100k residents
59,227 members
Payday & loan stores
11
6.6 per 100k residents
6 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Macon: TitleMax (4), 1st Franklin Financial (2), Security Finance (2), Lendmark Financial Services (1), Mariner Finance (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Macon
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Georgia rate cap (16% APR) | $87.27/mo | $23.59 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR) | $90.27/mo | $41.62 |
| Payday loan renewed every 2 weeks (typical $15 per $100, not available in Georgia) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Georgia rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 1.9%
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 Macon
- Median household income
- $55,527
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.6 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 26.1%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 24.5%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Macon are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Georgia
| Payday loan in GA | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 16% APR (Payday Lending Ban) | 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: Georgia law as summarized on our Georgia 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 Macon
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsouth Community Federal Credit UnionFederal | 4810 Mercer University Dr Macon, GA 31210 | 43,724 | midsouthfcu.org |
| Cgr Credit UnionState-chartered | 2040 Ingleside Ave Macon, GA 31204 | 11,245 | cgrcu.org |
| Brosnan Yard Federal Credit UnionFederal | 1038 Guy Paine Rd Macon, GA 31206 | 1,383 | — |
| Macon-Bibb Employees Credit UnionState-chartered | 150 Willie Smokie Glover Dr Macon, GA 31201 | 881 | maconbibbecu.org |
| Georgia Guard Credit UnionState-chartered | 1030 Shurling Dr Macon, GA 31211 | 717 | ggcu.org |
| Macon Firemen's Credit UnionState-chartered | 899 Oglethorpe St Macon, GA 31201 | 693 | — |
| Rig Employees Credit UnionState-chartered | 100 Graphic Packaging Int Way Macon, GA 31206 | 584 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Macon
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Macon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2507 Pio Nono Ave Macon, GA 31206 | (478) 788-8211 | — | 5.0 |
| 3597 Mercer University Dr Macon, GA 31204 | (478) 471-9447 | — | 5.0 |
| 4121 Pio Nono Ave Macon, GA 31206 | (478) 788-2080 | — | 5.0 |
| 605 Shurling Dr Macon, GA 31217 | (478) 750-7778 | — | 5.0 |
| 234 Tom Hill Sr Blvd Macon, GA 31210 | (478) 477-2430 | — | 4.9 |
| 610 North Ave Ste F Macon, GA 31211 | (478) 745-0713 | — | 4.7 |
| Sunbelt Credit 1421 B Rocky Creek Rd Macon, GA 31206 | (478) 788-9595 | — | 4.9 |
| 4634 Presidential Pkwy Suite N Macon, GA 31206 | (478) 746-9638 | — | 4.8 |
| 225 Tom Hill Sr Blvd A Macon, GA 31210 | (478) 475-5589 | — | 4.0 |
| 5930 Zebulon Rd Macon, GA 31210 | (478) 781-8654 | — | 4.8 |
| 225 Tom Hill Sr Blvd Ste B Macon, GA 31210 | (478) 471-8771 | — | 3.8 |
More about Macon
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 Macon 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.