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 Paducah, KY
3 credit unions are headquartered in Paducah, with 38,895 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
- 3
- Members
- 38,895
- Federal
- 3
- State-chartered
- 0
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Paducah
Paducah has 6 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 3 credit unions headquartered here — about 2.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 38,895 members — roughly 65 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
3
5.0 per 100k residents
38,895 members
Payday & loan stores
6
10.0 per 100k residents
6 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Paducah: 1st Franklin Financial (1), Check Into Cash (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1), Mariner Finance (1), OneMain Financial (1).
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 KY 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 Paducah
- Median household income
- $61,636
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.2%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 4.7 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.4%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.4 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 20.3%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 16.5%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Paducah are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Kentucky
| Payday loan in KY | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | $500 | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | $15 per $100 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: Kentucky law as summarized on our Kentucky 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 Paducah
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signet Federal Credit UnionFederal | PO Box 426 Paducah, KY 42002 | 20,688 | signetfcu.com |
| C-Plant Federal Credit UnionFederal | P.O. Box 9250 Paducah, KY 42002 | 15,892 | cplant.com |
| W B H Employees Federal Credit UnionFederal | 2501 Broadway St Paducah, KY 42001 | 2,315 | wbhfcu.com |
Payday and installment loan stores in Paducah
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Paducah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5164 Hinkleville Rd Paducah, KY 42001 | (270) 442-3415 | — | 5.0 |
| 2901 Jackson St Paducah, KY 42003 | (270) 415-9193 | — | 4.9 |
| 4645 Village Square Dr Ste H Paducah, KY 42001 | (270) 442-4351 | — | 3.7 |
| 451 Jordan Dr f2 Paducah, KY 42001 | (270) 534-0769 | — | 4.7 |
| 2700 New Holt Rd Ste C Paducah, KY 42001 | (270) 442-1611 | — | 4.7 |
| 5158 Village Square Dr Paducah, KY 42001 | (270) 216-7100 | — | 4.0 |
More about Paducah
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 Paducah 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.