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 Johnstown, PA
6 credit unions are headquartered in Johnstown, with 37,782 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
- 6
- Members
- 37,782
- Federal
- 5
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Johnstown
Johnstown has 6 credit unions headquartered here and 2 payday, installment and title loan stores. Local credit unions count 37,782 members — roughly 58 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
6
9.2 per 100k residents
37,782 members
Payday & loan stores
2
3.1 per 100k residents
2 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Johnstown: Lendmark Financial Services (1), OneMain Financial (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Johnstown
| 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
- 1.9%
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 Johnstown
- Median household income
- $56,574
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.6 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 22.8%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 17.0%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Johnstown 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 Johnstown
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ussco Johnstown Federal Credit UnionFederal | 532 Oakridge Dr Johnstown, PA 15904 | 14,090 | usscofcu.org |
| Healthcare First Credit UnionState-chartered | 1152 Franklin Street Johnstown, PA 15905 | 8,047 | healthcarefirstcu.com |
| G.A.P. Federal Credit UnionFederal | 111 Franklin St Rm 224 Johnstown, PA 15901 | 6,429 | gapfcu.org |
| Merho Federal Credit UnionFederal | 15 Irene St Johnstown, PA 15905 | 4,738 | merhofcu.org |
| Franklin Johnstown Federal Credit UnionFederal | 310 Bloomfield St Johnstown, PA 15904 | 3,958 | franklinjohnstown.com |
| Johnstown School Employees Federal Credit UnionFederal | 738 Viewmont Ave Johnstown, PA 15905 | 520 | jsefcu.com |
Payday and installment loan stores in Johnstown
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Johnstown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1513 Scalp Ave #340 Johnstown, PA 15904 | (814) 266-5808 | — | 3.7 |
| 3209B Elton Rd Johnstown, PA 15904 | (814) 266-8681 | — | 4.8 |
More about Johnstown
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 Johnstown 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.