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 Rome, GA
1 credit union is headquartered in Rome, with 51,753 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
- 51,753
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Rome
Rome has 7 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 7.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 51,753 members — roughly 68 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
1.3 per 100k residents
51,753 members
Payday & loan stores
7
9.2 per 100k residents
6 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Rome: TitleMax (2), 1st Franklin Financial (1), Check Into Cash (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1), OneMain Financial (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Rome
| 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
- 1.7%
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 Rome
- Median household income
- $62,230
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.3 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 19.5%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 17.7%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Rome 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 Rome
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coosa Valley Credit UnionState-chartered | 2010 Redmond Cir NW Rome, GA 30165 | 51,753 | mycvcu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Rome
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Rome 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1705 Turner McCall Blvd Rome, GA 30161 | (706) 232-3604 | — | 5.0 |
| 2328 Shorter Ave NW Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 378-9400 | — | 4.9 |
| 610 Shorter Ave NW Ste 8 Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 291-4248 | — | 4.8 |
| 2001 Shorter Ave Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 232-0054 | — | 4.7 |
| 471 Turner McCall Blvd NE Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 291-1223 | — | 4.4 |
| 150 Shorter Ave NW Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 291-4250 | — | 3.9 |
| 2204 Shorter Ave NW #11 Rome, GA 30165 | (706) 291-8098 | — | 4.7 |
More about Rome
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 Rome 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.