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 Chico, CA
2 pawn shops in and around Chico — 1.7 per 100,000 residents, compared with 1.4 across California. Call ahead to ask what they're buying and lending on today: inventory needs change weekly. Chico ranks #67 of 137 California cities with pawn shops by shops per resident.
- Pawn shops
- 2
- Pawn shops per 100k
- 1.7
- California: 1.4
- Big-chain shops
- 0
- Payday & loan stores
- 4
- Population
- 117,653
Pawn shops in Chico: addresses and phone numbers
| Pawn shop | Address | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadway Pawn | 534 Broadway St Chico, CA 95928 | (530) 345-4222 | broadwayheightschico.com |
| Chico Cash Exchange | 1923 Park Ave Chico, CA 95928 | (530) 892-2222 | tiktok.com |
Pawn shops vs payday loan stores in Chico
Chico has 4 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 2 pawn shops.
Pawn shops
2
1.7 per 100k residents
Payday & loan stores
4
3.4 per 100k residents
4 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Chico: Advance America (1), Check Into Cash (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1), OneMain Financial (1).
Borrowing $300 for one month: payday vs pawn vs credit union
| Option | How it works | Cost for one month |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan (~460% APR) | $45.00 fee every 2 weeks, renewed once | $90.00 |
| Pawn loan (example: 20% a month) | You leave an item worth more than the loan; repay to get it back | $60.00 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR + $20 fee) | Repaid in installments; membership required | $27.00 |
- Payday cost, share of monthly household income in Chico
- 1.5%
- Pawn cost, share of monthly household income in Chico
- 1.0%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.0 days of income
Payday: the CA maximum — $45 on a $300 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 California 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 CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 California | Pawnbrokers are licensed and regulated by California; fees, terms and holding periods are set by state law | Allowed, up to $300; typical APR ~460% |
Chico at a glance
- Median household income
- $72,946
- California: $102,369
- Poverty rate
- 20.3%
- California: 12.0%
- Households under $25,000
- 18.6%
- California: 12.7%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.0 days of income
Payday and installment loan stores in Chico
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Chico with addresses, phone numbers and hours.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 216 W. East Ave., Ste. A Chico, CA 95926 | (530) 894-1457 | Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Sun closed |
— |
| 1354 East Ave Ste N Chico, CA 95973 | (530) 899-0789 | — | 4.9 |
| 2033 Forest Ave Ste 104 Chico, CA 95928 | (530) 343-2322 | — | 4.6 |
| 2485 Notre Dame Blvd Ste 220 Chico, CA 95928 | (530) 345-7495 | — | 4.2 |
Pawn shops near Chico
More about Chico
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.