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 Sevierville, TN
1 credit union is headquartered in Sevierville, with 1,383 members. 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
- 1
- Members
- 1,383
- Federal
- 1
- State-chartered
- 0
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Sevierville
Sevierville has 5 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 5.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 1,383 members — roughly 3 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
1.8 per 100k residents
1,383 members
Payday & loan stores
5
9.1 per 100k residents
5 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Sevierville: 1st Franklin Financial (1), Advance Financial (1), Check Into Cash (1), OneMain Financial (1), Security Finance (1).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~460% 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 TN 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 Sevierville
- Median household income
- $58,353
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.3%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 5.2 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.6%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.5 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 18.2%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 14.8%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Sevierville are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Tennessee
| Payday loan in TN | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | $500 | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | 15% of check amount ($75) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~460% | 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: Tennessee law as summarized on our Tennessee 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 Sevierville
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sevier County Schools Federal Credit UnionFederal | 164 N Henderson Ave Ste B Sevierville, TN 37862 | 1,383 | scsfcu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Sevierville
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Sevierville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 528 Winfield Dunn Pkwy Sevierville, TN 37876 | (865) 908-0947 | — | 4.9 |
| 163 Winfield Dunn Pkwy Sevierville, TN 37876 | (865) 867-7381 | — | 4.5 |
| 570 Winfield Dunn Pkwy Ste 4 Sevierville, TN 37876 | (865) 366-0212 | — | 4.9 |
| 737 Dolly Parton Pkwy #1 Sevierville, TN 37862 | (865) 453-5534 | — | 4.3 |
| 1235 Dolly Parton Pkwy #6 Sevierville, TN 37862 | (865) 428-0720 | — | 4.9 |
More about Sevierville
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 Sevierville 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.