At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026MERCO Credit Union is a credit union based in Merced, California. Its website describes auto loans and home mortgages. Consumer loan APRs stated on its site range from 4.74% to 10%. You can start an application online.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Toll-free | (844) 458-1104 source |
|---|---|
| Lending | (209) 723-4285 source |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.merco.org |
| Office (official list) | 1911 M St, Merced, CA 95340 |
What their website says about applying
Convenience – Apply for a loan by mail, fax or stopping into a branch.
sourceTo use CUDL, look for the CUDL logo at your auto dealership or visit
source
Phone numbers and addresses are the ones on the lender's own site and the CDFI Fund list. CDFI Atlas does not take applications.
Rates and terms they state
Read 2 Nov 2026| Loan | Stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto / vehicle loans | Rate: from 4.74% APR | Great Rates As Low As 4.74% APR* | source |
| Personal / consumer loans | Rate: 10% APR | Borrow up to $1,500 for 12 months at a low annual percentage rate of 10% (Offer ends December 31, 2026). | source |
| Auto / vehicle loans | Term: up to 7 yr | finance your vehicle, motor home or boat for as long as 84 months (subject to credit approval) | source |
| Personal / consumer loans | Term: up to 12 mo | Borrow up to $1,500 for 12 months | source |
As published on the lender's website on that date, not an offer or a quote. Your rate depends on the lender's review. A missing rate means the pages we read did not state one. For consumer loans we repeat a rate only when the lender states it as an APR (annual percentage rate, which includes fees); otherwise read the lender's own wording and ask for the APR.
Who qualifies, in their words
- Membership required
Credit Union Direct Lending (CUDL) Is Available to MERCO Members
source - Collateral required
Use the funds in your savings or certificate account as collateral
source
Only rules the lender's own pages state. Other requirements may apply.
Official record
CDFI Fund list, 21 Oct 2026| Institution type | Credit union |
|---|---|
| Native CDFI | No |
| Date certified (as listed) | 17 Oct 2020 |
| RSSD ID | 931597 |
| Address | 1911 M St, Merced, CA 95340 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.merco.org |
Head officeBranch or officeApproximate (ZIP code area)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, © OpenMapTiles, tiles OpenFreeMap. Head-office points: U.S. Census Bureau geocoder.
Loans and eligibility
Verified from lender site on 2 Nov 2026Read from 7 pages of the lender's website on 2 Nov 2026. Quotes are verbatim. Extracted with AI help from the pages listed below and checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a person. Confidence: high. No service area or borrower eligibility is stated on the pages fetched. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto / vehicle loans | — | MERCO vehicle loans offer the following great benefits: | source |
| Home mortgages | — | We offer Conventional, FHA, VA and more! | source |
Loan sizes
Borrow up to $1,500 for 12 months at a low annual percentage rate of 10% (Offer ends December 31, 2026).
source
Service area
Not stated on the pages we read.
Borrower focus
- Not stated on the pages we read.
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Apply Now
source
Pages read (7)
- https://www.merco.org/
- https://www.merco.org/borrow/loan-products/mortgages
- https://www.merco.org/rates
- https://www.merco.org/borrow/loan-products/vehicle-loans
- https://www.merco.org/borrow/loan-products/personal-loans
- https://www.merco.org/borrow/loan-products/credit-cards
- https://www.merco.org/deposit/account-services/insurance
Questions to ask when you contact them
Based on what their website said when we read it on 2 Nov 2026, and what it left out. Something missing here does not mean they don't offer it: ask.
- Do you lend where I live, or where my business is?
Their website does not say which area they serve. - How do I become a member, and is there a fee or a minimum deposit?
Credit unions lend only to their members. - What are the smallest and the largest loans you make?
No loan amounts are stated on their website. - What is the APR, including fees, on your home mortgages?
Their website does not state an APR. The APR includes fees, so it is the number to compare. - Is there a minimum credit score, and do you consider borrowers with little or no credit history?
Their website does not say what credit history they accept. - Do you offer down-payment help, and is a homebuyer education course required?
CDFI home loans often come with homebuyer education or down-payment help; their website does not say. - What documents will you need from me, and how long does a decision usually take?
Their website describes some application steps (above); ask for the full document list.
Write down the answers, who you spoke to and the date, and ask for the terms in writing before you sign.
CDFI Fund awards
CDFI Fund database, 3 Nov 2026$7.7 million in 5 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2021–2024 (CDFI Equitable Recovery Program; CDFI Program, Financial Assistance; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $900,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $3,718,258 |
| 2022 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $660,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $625,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
Emergency Capital Investment Program (ECIP)
Treasury invested $3.5 million in this institution under ECIP, by buying preferred stock or subordinated debt (an investment, not a grant; it is not counted in the award total). ECIP type on the list: CDFI. Source: U.S. Treasury ECIP participant list (last updated Mar 2025), downloaded 3 Nov 2026.
These are awards and investments made to the institution itself to build its capital and capacity. They are not loans to borrowers, and an award does not mean the lender has money available for a particular loan today.
Source: CDFI Fund Searchable Awards Database, all 12,628 award records (1996–2025), read 3 Nov 2026. Years are the award round as the database lists it. Matched to the official CDFI list by exact name and state; see the method on the About page.
Branches and size
NCUA, 30 Jun 2026On file with the NCUA as MERCO (charter 64766). Source: NCUA 5300 Call Report quarterly data (public data) as of 30 Jun 2026, downloaded 3 Nov 2026: total assets, members and branch addresses.
| Total assets | $207.3 million (as of 30 Jun 2026) |
|---|---|
| Members | 16,315 (as of 30 Jun 2026) |
| Offices | 3 (as of 30 Jun 2026) |
Offices by state and county (3)
California (3 offices)
- Mariposa County (1): 5011 Coakley Cir, Mariposa 95338
- Merced County (2): 1911 M St, Merced 95340 (main office); 598 Bellevue Rd, Atwater 95301
An office shows where the lender has a branch, not where it lends or whom it lends to. Credit unions serve members only; check who can join. For the ZIP-code search, credit-union offices are placed at the centre of their ZIP code (approximate).
What the regulator filing shows
NCUA 5300, 30 Jun 2026Figures from the 5300 Call Report filed by MERCO Credit Union (NCUA charter 64766, filed as “MERCO”). Source: NCUA 5300 Call Report quarterly data (public data), cycle 30 Jun 2026; year-earlier figures from the 30 Jun 2025 cycle; downloaded 3 Nov 2026.
| Total loans and leases | $120.4 million, 8,782 loans (as of 30 Jun 2026) |
|---|---|
| Change over the year | Down 5.4% from $127.2 million on 30 Jun 2025 |
| Members | 16,315 (as of 30 Jun 2026); 15,660 (as of 30 Jun 2025) |
| Loans per member | $7,379 (total loans divided by members, 30 Jun 2026) |
| Total assets | $207.3 million (as of 30 Jun 2026) |
Loan mix (balances on 30 Jun 2026)
| Loan category | Balance | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New vehicle loans | $8.8 million | 7.3% |
| Used vehicle loans | $86.3 million | 71.7% |
| First-lien home mortgages (1-4 family) | $12.8 million | 10.7% |
| Other real estate loans (junior liens, other) | $2.1 million | 1.7% |
| Credit cards | $4.6 million | 3.8% |
| Other unsecured loans | $5.4 million | 4.5% |
| Leases and other secured loans | $285,320 | 0.2% |
None reported on the 30 Jun 2026 report: commercial (business) loans.
Balances are loans outstanding on the report date, not loans made during the year. A category with no balance does not mean the credit union never makes that kind of loan. Credit unions lend to members only; check who can join.
Home loans reported under HMDA (2025)
FFIEC HMDA data, 2025MERCO Credit Union reported 10 originated home loans for 2025 under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, totaling about $1.1M (median loan about $70,000).
By loan purpose
| Purpose | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Refinance (incl. 7 cash-out) | 8 | 80% |
By loan type
| Loan type | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 10 | 100% |
Where the loans were made
Counties with the most 2025 originations, out of 3 counties with at least one; 100% of its 2025 loans were for properties in California:
- Merced County, CA (7)
Filed under LEI 549300U5KJDUGZIWF098 as “MERCO Credit Union”; matched by its RSSD ID on the CDFI Fund list, which the HMDA reporter panel links to this LEI.
Source: FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 2025, snapshot frozen 2 Jun 2026, loan-level records read through the CFPB HMDA Data Browser API on 3 Nov 2026. Originated loans only; applications that were denied, withdrawn or not accepted are not counted. HMDA publishes each loan amount as the middle of a $10,000 band, so totals and medians are approximate. Counts under 3 are not shown. How we match lenders.
How it compares
Computed from public data| Measure | This lender | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets (Call Report, 30 Jun 2026) | $207.3 million | Larger than 36% of the 25 other certified credit unions in California (median $613.8 million). |
| Loans as a share of assets | 58% | Median of the same 25 credit unions: 72%. A higher share means more of its balance sheet is lent out. |
| Loans held, 30 Jun 2025 → 30 Jun 2026 | $127.2 million → $120.4 million (-5%) | Median change of 24 other certified credit unions in California: +5%. Rank by loans held among these 25: 17 → 17. |
| Home loans originated in 2025 (HMDA) | 10 | More than 1% of the 263 other certified CDFIs that reported 3 or more (120 at the median). Volume only; nothing here is an approval rate. |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call Report total assets | other certified credit unions in California | 25 | larger than 36% |
| Loans held then vs now | certified credit unions in California reporting both dates | 24 | rank 17 → 17 of 25 |
| HMDA home loans | certified CDFIs with 3+ originations in 2025, nationwide | 263 | more than 1% |
“Larger than X%” = the share of the peer group with a smaller value. Ranks count from the largest. Peer groups use the lender's home state when it has at least 5 peers, otherwise the whole country. Full definitions: methodology.
Same loan type, nearby, lower stated rate
Certified CDFIs whose head office is within 50 miles of this one and whose own website states a starting rate at least 0.5 points lower for the same loan type. Consumer loans count only where both lenders state an APR. A starting rate is not an offer: ask each lender what you would pay, and check that it lends where you are (credit unions also require membership).
- Personal / consumer loans (this lender states from 10.00%): Rolling F Credit Union from 8.95% (26 mi, read 2 Nov 2026)
For comparison, not an offer and not a rating. Past records show what this lender did, not what you would be offered; your rate depends on the loan and on the lender's review. Peer groups and sources: methodology. Assets and loans: FFIEC and NCUA Call Reports (see the loan-mix section). Home loans: FFIEC/CFPB HMDA data. Stated rates: each lender's own website, read on the date shown.
Other certified CDFIs in Merced and California
- AccessityLoan fund · San Diego, CASmall-business loansVerified
- Accion Opportunity Fund Community DevelopmentLoan fund · San Jose, CAEquipment loans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- AltaOne Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Ridgecrest, CAAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Credit-builder loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Altura Credit UnionCredit union · Riverside, CAAuto / vehicle loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loansVerified
- American Nonprofits, Inc.Loan fund · Santa Cruz, CAVerified
- Apoyo Financiero Inc.Loan fund · Concord, CAPersonal / consumer loans, Small-business loansVerified
Work at MERCO Credit Union? Link to this page
Paste this into your website to show you are listed. If anything here is wrong, tell us first (how).
Something wrong or out of date on this page? Use the contact page or email contact@cdfiatlas.com and name the page.
CDFI Atlas is not a lender and does not give financial advice. Inclusion is not an endorsement, and lenders have not reviewed or approved these pages. Disclaimer.