<ARTICLE>                                            9
<CIK>                         0000310979
<NAME>                        First Banks America, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          Dec-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             Jan-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               Jun-30-1997
<CASH>                                          16,340
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                             433
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                 8,400
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                     0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                     78,426
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                 0
<LOANS>                                        247,574 
<ALLOWANCE>                                     (6,251)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 373,592
<DEPOSITS>                                     312,819
<SHORT-TERM>                                     6,097
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                              6,276
<LONG-TERM>                                     14,500
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                           587
<OTHER-SE>                                      33,313
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 373,592
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                 10,634
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                2,593
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                   359
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                13,586
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                               5,472
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               6,206
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                            7,380
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                    1,285
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                   0
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                  5,700
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  1,873
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                       1,873
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     1,173
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .32
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .32
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                    8.24
<LOANS-NON>                                      2,003 
<LOANS-PAST>                                       146
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                     0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                  4,383
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                 6,147
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                    1,948
<RECOVERIES>                                       767
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                6,251
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                             6,251
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                  0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                              0