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 Kansas City, KS
5 credit unions are headquartered in Kansas City, with 13,058 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
- 5
- Members
- 13,058
- Federal
- 2
- State-chartered
- 3
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Kansas City
Kansas City has 5 credit unions headquartered here and 4 payday, installment and title loan stores. Local credit unions count 13,058 members — roughly 8 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
5
3.1 per 100k residents
13,058 members
Payday & loan stores
4
2.5 per 100k residents
2 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Kansas City: ACE Cash Express (2), Advance America (2).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~391% APR) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $450.00 |
| Credit union PAL, 3 monthly payments (28% APR + $20 fee) | $174.50 a month | $43.51 |
- You keep with a credit union PAL over 3 months
- $406.49 payday costs 10× more
Payday: the KS maximum — $75 on a $500 loan for 2 weeks, paid again each time the loan is renewed or taken out again (6 times in 3 months). PAL: payday alternative loan from a federal credit union, capped at 28% APR with an application fee of up to $20.
What it means for a household in Kansas City
- Median household income
- $62,474
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.1%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 4.4 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.4%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.3 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 19.3%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 17.8%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Kansas City are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Kansas
| Payday loan in KS | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | $500 | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | 15% of cash advanced ($75) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~391% | 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: Kansas law as summarized on our Kansas 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 Kansas City
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest Regional Credit UnionState-chartered | PO Box 12217 Kansas City, KS 66112 | 7,404 | mrcu.com |
| K C K Firemen & Police Credit UnionState-chartered | 1700 Nebraska Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 | 1,896 | — |
| Reliance Credit UnionState-chartered | 540 Minnesota Ave Kansas City, KS 66101 | 1,816 | reliancecu.org |
| Kc Fairfax Federal Credit UnionFederal | 104 Sunshine Rd Kansas City, KS 66115 | 1,760 | kcffcu.com |
| Quindaro Homes Federal Credit UnionFederal | 660 Manorcrest Dr Kansas City, KS 66101 | 182 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Kansas City
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Kansas City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6427 State Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 | (913) 334-6699 | — | 4.8 |
| 701a Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66101 | (913) 281-6400 | — | 4.9 |
| 4625 Shawnee Dr. Kansas City, KS 66106 | (913) 403-0760 | Mon 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tue 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Wed–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Sun closed |
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| 7636 State Ave. Kansas City, KS 66112 | (913) 788-3617 | Mon 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tue 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Wed–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Sun closed |
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More about Kansas City
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 Kansas City 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.