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.
Pawn Shops vs Payday Loans in Decatur, AL
5 pawn shops in and around Decatur — 7.4 per 100,000 residents, compared with 4.6 across Alabama. Call ahead to ask what they're buying and lending on today: inventory needs change weekly. Decatur ranks #3 of 15 Alabama cities with pawn shops by shops per resident.
- Pawn shops
- 5
- Pawn shops per 100k
- 7.4
- Alabama: 4.6
- Big-chain shops
- 0
- Payday & loan stores
- 8
- Population
- 67,883
Pawn shops in Decatur: addresses and phone numbers
| Pawn shop | Address | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA Pawn Shop & Jewelry | 1520 Moulton St W Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 355-1018 | aaapawnshop.net |
| Bama Pawn and Gun | 305 Beltline Rd NW Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 351-7534 | bamapawn.com |
| Esmeralda's Pawn and Fine Goods | 2512 Al-20 Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 340-2499 | m.ebay.com |
| Mid City Pawn | 1029 6th Ave SE Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 353-1111 | goldgunsandguitars.com |
| Pawns Of Decatur | 1707 6th Ave SE Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 351-0434 | — |
Pawn shops vs payday loan stores in Decatur
Decatur has 8 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 5 pawn shops.
Pawn shops
5
7.4 per 100k residents
Payday & loan stores
8
11.8 per 100k residents
7 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Decatur: TitleMax (2), 1st Franklin Financial (1), Advance America (1), Check 'n Go (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1).
Borrowing $500 for one month: payday vs pawn vs credit union
| Option | How it works | Cost for one month |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan (~456% APR) | $87.50 fee every 2 weeks, renewed once | $175.00 |
| Pawn loan (example: 20% a month) | You leave an item worth more than the loan; repay to get it back | $100.00 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR + $20 fee) | Repaid in installments; membership required | $31.67 |
- Payday cost, share of monthly household income in Decatur
- 3.3%
- Pawn cost, share of monthly household income in Decatur
- 1.9%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.3 days of income
Payday: the AL maximum — $87.50 on a $500 loan for 2 weeks, paid twice for a one-month loan. Pawn: an example rate of 20% a month; pawn fees and interest are set by Alabama law and vary by shop — ask for the total in writing. PAL: payday alternative loan from a federal credit union, capped at 28% APR plus an application fee of up to $20. Income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Pawn loan vs payday loan: the key differences
| Pawn loan | Payday loan in AL | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | An item of value (jewelry, gold, electronics, tools, firearms) and an ID | A bank account, proof of income and an ID |
| Credit check | None | Usually none |
| How much you get | A fraction of the item's resale value | Based on your income, up to the state limit |
| If you can't repay | The shop keeps the item; no collections and no credit damage | Fees pile up with renewals; the debt can go to collections |
| Bank account access | None | Lender can debit your account or cash your check |
| Rules in Alabama | Pawnbrokers are licensed and regulated by Alabama; fees, terms and holding periods are set by state law | Allowed, up to $500; typical APR ~456% |
Decatur at a glance
- Median household income
- $63,373
- Alabama: $65,640
- Poverty rate
- 12.5%
- Alabama: 15.8%
- Households under $25,000
- 17.0%
- Alabama: 20.3%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.3 days of income
Payday and installment loan stores in Decatur
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Decatur with addresses, phone numbers and hours.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1235 Beltline Rd SW Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 350-9277 | — | 5.0 |
| 901 6th Ave SE Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 341-9315 | — | 5.0 |
| 725 Beltline Rd SW Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 355-0361 | — | 4.9 |
| 1622 Beltline Rd., SW Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 301-0052 | Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Sat–Sun closed |
— |
| 1820 6th Ave SE Ste. B Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 353-7577 | — | 4.9 |
| 1000 Beltline Rd SW Unit M Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 686-9270 | — | 4.7 |
| 1602 Beltline Rd SW Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 353-1660 | — | 4.0 |
| 2314 6th Ave SE Suite A Decatur, AL 35601 | (256) 351-1570 | — | 4.9 |
Pawn shops near Decatur
More about Decatur
Pawn shop listings: © Overture Maps Foundation (CDLA-Permissive 2.0), including Foursquare OS Places and © OpenStreetMap contributors; filtered and de-duplicated by us. Population, income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Call ahead to confirm hours and what a shop buys or lends on.