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 Baytown, TX
1 credit union is headquartered in Baytown, with 58,588 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
- 58,588
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Baytown
Baytown has 12 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 12.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 58,588 members — roughly 45 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
0.8 per 100k residents
58,588 members
Payday & loan stores
12
9.2 per 100k residents
9 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Baytown: TitleMax (3), ACE Cash Express (2), Advance America (1), Check 'n Go (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~662%+ 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: a typical fee of $75 on a $500 loan for 2 weeks (TX limits are not set in dollars), paid 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 Baytown
- Median household income
- $79,827
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 2.4%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 3.8 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 2.6%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 1.8 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 16.3%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 15.2%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Baytown are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Texas
| Payday loan in TX | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | No limit (CSO Model) | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | No state cap (fees set by city ordinances) (Varies) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~662%+ | 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: Texas law as summarized on our Texas 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 Baytown
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Resource Credit UnionState-chartered | PO Box 3181 Baytown, TX 77522 | 58,588 | crcu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Baytown
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Baytown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 Garth Rd Baytown, TX 77520 | (281) 691-6672 | — | 5.0 |
| 4612 W Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Rd Baytown, TX 77521 | (832) 926-7137 | — | 5.0 |
| 5225 Garth Rd Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 421-4186 | — | 5.0 |
| 3010 Garth Rd Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 427-1484 | — | 4.9 |
| 4611 Garth Rd #300 Baytown, TX 77521 | (832) 556-0836 | — | 4.9 |
| 4539 Garth Rd, Ste. 208 Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 420-9019 | Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sun closed |
— |
| 1248 Garth Rd Baytown, TX 77520 | (832) 556-1011 | — | 4.9 |
| 5623 Garth Rd #160 Baytown, TX 77521 | (936) 367-9933 | — | 4.3 |
| 6612 Garth Rd Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 691-6107 | — | 4.9 |
| 4810 I-10 B Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 421-4700 | — | 3.9 |
| 2703 N Alexander Dr Baytown, TX 77520 | (281) 427-0097 | — | 4.9 |
| Western Finance 3402 N Main St Baytown, TX 77521 | (281) 422-8719 | — | 4.7 |
More about Baytown
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 Baytown 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.