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 Chesapeake, VA
2 credit unions are headquartered in Chesapeake, with 86,986 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
- 2
- Members
- 86,986
- Federal
- 2
- State-chartered
- 0
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Chesapeake
Chesapeake has 8 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 2 credit unions headquartered here — about 4.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 86,986 members — roughly 35 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
2
0.8 per 100k residents
86,986 members
Payday & loan stores
8
3.2 per 100k residents
5 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Chesapeake: 1st Franklin Financial (2), Lendmark Financial Services (2), OneMain Financial (2), ACE Cash Express (1), Mariner Finance (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Chesapeake
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Virginia rate cap (36% APR) | $92.30/mo | $53.79 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR) | $90.27/mo | $41.62 |
| Payday loan renewed every 2 weeks (typical $15 per $100, not available in Virginia) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Virginia rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 1.1%
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 Chesapeake
- Median household income
- $99,233
- A $400 emergency equals
- 1.5 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 9.7%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 8.6%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Chesapeake are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Virginia
| Payday loan in VA | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 36% APR (Fairness in Lending Act) | 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: Virginia law as summarized on our Virginia 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 Chesapeake
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abnb Federal Credit UnionFederal | 830 Greenbrier Cir Chesapeake, VA 23320 | 75,639 | abnbfcu.org |
| N A E Federal Credit UnionFederal | 755 Battlefield Blvd N Chesapeake, VA 23320 | 11,347 | naefcu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Chesapeake
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Chesapeake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1701 Parkview Dr Chesapeake, VA 23320 | (757) 227-3909 | — | 4.8 |
| 4105 Chesapeake Square Blvd #105 Chesapeake, VA 23321 | (757) 337-4547 | — | 4.8 |
| 4107 Portsmouth Blvd Ste 114 Chesapeake, VA 23321 | (757) 638-1579 | — | 4.8 |
| 927 Battlefield Blvd N Ste 100 Chesapeake, VA 23320 | (757) 447-6475 | — | 3.8 |
| 1200 Battlefield Blvd N #122 Chesapeake, VA 23320 | (757) 436-4050 | — | 4.4 |
| 4300 Portsmouth Blvd #178 Chesapeake, VA 23321 | (757) 465-2187 | — | 3.6 |
| 1333 Poindexter St #2 Chesapeake, VA 23324 | (757) 494-7136 | — | 4.9 |
| 1720 Sentinel Dr #116 Chesapeake, VA 23320 | (757) 275-0400 | — | 4.7 |
More about Chesapeake
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 Chesapeake 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.