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 Decatur, IL
4 credit unions are headquartered in Decatur, with 36,925 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
- 36,925
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 4
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Decatur
Decatur has 4 credit unions headquartered here and 3 payday, installment and title loan stores. Local credit unions count 36,925 members — roughly 46 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
4
5.0 per 100k residents
36,925 members
Payday & loan stores
3
3.8 per 100k residents
3 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Decatur: Mariner Finance (1), OneMain Financial (1), Sun Loan Company (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Decatur
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Illinois 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 Illinois) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Illinois rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 2.0%
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 Decatur
- Median household income
- $56,571
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.6 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 21.0%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 17.8%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Decatur are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Illinois
| Payday loan in IL | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 36% APR (PLPA 2021) | 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: Illinois law as summarized on our Illinois 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 Decatur
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land of Lincoln Credit UnionState-chartered | P O Box 3310 Decatur, IL 62524 | 35,390 | llcu.org |
| I.B.E.W. Local #146 Credit UnionState-chartered | 3390 N Woodford St Decatur, IL 62526 | 652 | ibew146cu.com |
| Decatur Postal Credit UnionState-chartered | 214 N Franklin St Rm 104-A Decatur, IL 62523 | 494 | decaturpostalcreditunion.com |
| Decatur Policemen Credit UnionState-chartered | 707 W South Side Dr Decatur, IL 62521 | 389 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Decatur
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Decatur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4284 Prospect Dr Decatur, IL 62526 | (217) 876-1500 | — | 4.8 |
| 3170 N Water St Decatur, IL 62526 | (217) 875-3425 | — | 3.6 |
| 4839 US-36 Decatur, IL 62521 | (217) 875-7885 | — | 4.9 |
More about Decatur
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 Decatur 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.