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 Harlingen, TX
1 credit union is headquartered in Harlingen, with 17,611 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
- 17,611
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Harlingen
Harlingen has 17 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 17.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 17,611 members — roughly 18 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
1.0 per 100k residents
17,611 members
Payday & loan stores
17
17.8 per 100k residents
13 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Harlingen: ACE Cash Express (3), Sun Loan Company (2), TitleMax (2), Advance America (1), Check 'n Go (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 Harlingen
- Median household income
- $58,296
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.3%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 5.4 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
- 22.7%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 22.7%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Harlingen 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 Harlingen
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Valley Credit UnionState-chartered | 1221 Morgan Blvd Harlingen, TX 78550 | 17,611 | rgvcu.coop |
Payday and installment loan stores in Harlingen
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Harlingen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 623 W Harrison Ave Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 423-4900 | — | 4.9 |
| 702 N 13th St Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 364-2741 | — | 5.0 |
| 940 S 77 Sunshine Strip Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 440-7524 | — | 5.0 |
| 1326 N Ed Carey Dr Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 428-0181 | — | 5.0 |
| 1418 E Tyler Ave Ste 9 Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 412-9300 | — | 5.0 |
| 1101 S Expressway 83 Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 364-2033 | — | 5.0 |
| 1117 S 77 Sunshine Strip Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 253-1384 | — | 5.0 |
| 1322 Ed Carey Dr. Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 365-3566 | Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sun closed |
— |
| 222 E Harrison Ave Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 412-8228 | — | 4.9 |
| 801 N 13th St Ste 11 Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 364-9544 | — | 5.0 |
| 902 Dixieland Rd Ste 102 Harlingen, TX 78552 | (956) 281-0056 | — | 4.9 |
| 2224 S 77 Sunshine Strip #92 Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 423-7660 | — | 4.1 |
| 805 S Ed Carey Dr Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 622-5580 | — | 4.9 |
| 310 S 3rd St Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 423-0154 | — | 5.0 |
| 1924 S 77 Sunshine Strip Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 364-2198 | — | 4.9 |
|
Texas Car Title and Payday Loan Services
1 store in Harlingen
texascartitleandpaydayloanservicesinc.com
|
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| 1002 S 77 Sunshine Strip Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 428-3180 | — | 4.9 |
| Western Finance 522 S 77 Sunshine Strip Ste A Harlingen, TX 78550 | (956) 421-4505 | — | 5.0 |
More about Harlingen
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 Harlingen 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.