HAPO Community Credit Union Review: Local Credit Union With a Free Savings Account

HAPO Community Credit Union serves communities in Washington and Oregon. Read our HAPO Community Credit Union review to see if it might be a good fit.

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HAPO Community Credit Union: Overall Credit Union Rating

Account	Insider rating (out of 5)
Savings	4
Checking	4.5
Share Certificate	3.75
Money Market Account	3.5
Trustworthiness	5
Total	4

In our HAPO Community Credit Union review, we rate checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs, and money market accounts by looking at features like minimum opening requirements, monthly service fees, and customer support availability. Learn more about our methodology for rating bank accounts.

HAPO Community Credit Union: Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Certified as a community development financial institution, so it primarily serves low-income and disadvantaged communities Checking and savings accounts with zero monthly fees CDs with low minimum opening deposits Part of the CO-OP ATM network	To become a member, you must live, work, worship, or attend school in Washington or a select county in Oregon Low interest rate on savings account Other banks have higher interest rates on CDs

HAPO Community Credit Union Savings Account - Product Name Only

The HAPO Community Credit Union Savings Account - Product Name Only could be a solid choice if you're looking for a free savings account. It has zero monthly service fees and zero minimum balance requirements.

It won't be the best option if your goal is to earn a high interest rate, though. Our best high-yield savings accounts guide likely has more suitable options. 

HAPO Community Credit Union Free Checking Account - Product Name Only

The HAPO Community Credit Union Free Checking Account - Product Name Only might be an appealing option if you want a checking account with lenient opening requirements. 

The main downside to this account is the $28 overdraft fee. HAPO Community Credit Union has an overdraft protection plan that lets you link your checking account to a savings account, but there's still a $5 overdraft protection transfer fee if you utilize it.

HAPO Community Credit Union Certificate - Product Name Only

HAPO Community Certificates stand out because they only require a minimum of HAPO Community Credit Union Certificate - Minimum Deposit. You'll need at least $1,000 for share certificates at many institutions. 

The credit union's certificate rates are about the same as what you'll earn with the average CD. For more competitive rates, consider going through our best CD rates guide.

HAPO Community Credit Union Money Market Account - Product Name Only

The HAPO Community Credit Union Money Market Account - Product Name Only has a steep HAPO Community Credit Union Money Market Account - Fees Display. To waive the fee, you'll need to keep at least $2,500 in your account daily.

Bear in mind other financial institutions may offer free money market accounts.

How HAPO Community Credit Union Works

HAPO Community Credit Union is a local financial institution with 19 branches in Washington and Oregon. It's part of the CO-OP Shared ATM network, so you'll have access to over 30,000 free ATMs throughout the US. 

To speak with a customer representative, call or use live chat from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT on weekdays or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. 

The credit union's mobile app is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple store and 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store. 

HAPO Community Credit Union is  federally insured by the NCUA. Up to $250,000 is secure in individual bank accounts, and $500,000 is safe in joint bank accounts.

How to Join HAPO Community Credit Union 

To open a bank account at HAPO Community Credit Union, you have to qualify for membership.

You may be eligible for membership if you or a family member lives, works, worships, or goes to school in the state of Washington or select counties in Oregon (Umatilla, Morrow, Gillam, Sherman, Wasco, Hood River, Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, Columbia, and Clatsop County are all eligible Oregon counties).

You will also need to open a savings account to establish membership. Savings accounts do not have balance requirements, however, you should have some activity on your account at least once a year to keep your account open.

The Role of Community Development Financial Institutions

Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) serve low-income and disadvantaged communities. Banks and credit unions have to undergo certification by the US Department of Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and meet specific requirements to address banking barriers.

HAPO Community Credit Union hosts webinars to inform members about a variety of financial topics like credit scores and buying a car. The credit union also has a scholarship program that awards $50,000 in scholarships annually to high school students. 

HAPO Community Credit Union Trustworthiness and BBB rating

The Better Business Bureau assesses businesses to see how they address customer issues. The BBB gave HAPO Community Credit Union an A+ rating.

Keep in mind a great BBB rating doesn't necessarily guarantee a smooth relationship with a financial institution. Read online customer reviews and talk to current customers to see if HAPO Community Credit Union could be a good match.

HAPO Community Credit Union hasn't been involved in any recent public scandals. 

HAPO Community Credit Union Review vs. Gesa Credit Union Review

Gesa Credit Union is another CDFI. To become a member of Gesa Credit Union, you must live in Washington, select counties in Idaho (Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, or Shoshone county), or select counties in Oregon (Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Multnomah, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wasco, or Washington county).

If you are eligible to become a member of both credit unions, your decision may ultimately depend on which accounts you'd like to open.

Gesa Credit Union has a high-yield checking account, while HAPO Community Credit Union doesn't.  However, you might prefer HAPO if you'd like to get a share certificate with a low minimum opening deposit.

HAPO Community Credit Union Review vs. Umpqua Bank Review

Umpqua Bank is a regional bank with over 200 branches in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. If you don't meet the requirements for membership at HAPO Community Credit Union but prioritize in-person banking, you might consider Umpqua Bank. 

Both financial institutions have solid checking account options if your goal is to avoid monthly service fees.

The Umpqua Bank Embark Checking Account - Product Name Only doesn't charge monthly fees if you get online statements. Umpqua Bank also reimburses up to $10 per month in out-of-network ATM fees if you keep at least $2,500 in your account each month.

Meanwhile, the HAPO Community Credit Union Free Checking Account - Product Name Only doesn't require a minimum opening deposit or charge any monthly service fees. 

HAPO Community Credit Union: Frequently Asked Questions

Where are HAPO Community Credit Union branches located? 

HAPO Community Credit Union has 19 locations. You can find a HAPO Community branch in the following cities: 

Hermiston, Oregon

Milwaukie, Oregon

Weston, Oregon

College Place, Washington

Kennewick, Washington

Pasco, Washington

Richland, Washington

Sunnyside, Washington

Vancouver, Washington

Walla Walla, Washington

Yakima, Washington

Is HAPO Community Credit Union federally insured by the NCUA?

Yes, HAPO Community Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. If a credit union is federally insured by the NCUA, up to $250,000 is secure per depositor in a bank account. In the rare event a credit union fails, your money will be moved to another NCUA-insured credit union, or it will be mailed to you via check.