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 Altoona, PA
5 credit unions are headquartered in Altoona, with 23,822 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
- 23,822
- Federal
- 4
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Altoona
Altoona has 5 credit unions headquartered here and 3 payday, installment and title loan stores. Local credit unions count 23,822 members — roughly 39 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
5
8.3 per 100k residents
23,822 members
Payday & loan stores
3
5.0 per 100k residents
3 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Altoona: Lendmark Financial Services (1), Mariner Finance (1), OneMain Financial (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Altoona
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Pennsylvania rate cap (24% APR) | $89.26/mo | $35.58 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR) | $90.27/mo | $41.62 |
| Payday loan renewed every 2 weeks (typical $15 per $100, not available in Pennsylvania) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Pennsylvania 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 Altoona
- Median household income
- $54,428
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.7 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 22.5%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 16.9%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Altoona are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Pennsylvania
| Payday loan in PA | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 24% APR | 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: Pennsylvania law as summarized on our Pennsylvania 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 Altoona
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc Federal Credit UnionFederal | 1919 7th Ave Altoona, PA 16602 | 14,491 | arcfcu.org |
| Blair County Federal Credit UnionFederal | 3001 Sixth Avenue Altoona, PA 16602 | 4,461 | blairctyfcu.org |
| American Pride Credit UnionState-chartered | 1431 Valley View Blvd Altoona, PA 16602 | 1,802 | americanpridecu.org |
| Altoona Area Employees Federal Credit UnionFederal | 908 Pleasant Valley Blvd Altoona, PA 16602 | 1,670 | aaefcu.com |
| Your Choice Federal Credit UnionFederal | 109 Keystone St Altoona, PA 16602 | 1,398 | yourchoicefcu.com |
Payday and installment loan stores in Altoona
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Altoona 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 255 Park Hills Plaza Altoona, PA 16602 | (814) 283-4590 | — | 4.9 |
| 2742 Plank Rd Altoona, PA 16601 | (814) 941-2700 | — | 4.8 |
| 302 Union Ave Altoona, PA 16602 | (814) 944-4087 | — | 4.4 |
More about Altoona
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 Altoona 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.