<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This Schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Capital
Corp of the West  Annual  Report for 1996 and is  qualified  in its  entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                       12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                          12,982,000
<SECURITIES>                                    43,378,000
<RECEIVABLES>                                  183,247,000
<ALLOWANCES>                                    (2,792,000)
<INVENTORY>                                              0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                         0
<PP&E>                                          11,368,000
<DEPRECIATION>                                  (5,102,000)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 265,989,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                    0
<BONDS>                                                  0
<COMMON>                                        20,974,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<OTHER-SE>                                               0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   265,989,000
<SALES>                                                  0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                22,286,000
<CGS>                                                    0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                            0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                10,736,000
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                 1,513,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               6,865,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  3,172,000
<INCOME-TAX>                                     1,163,000
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              2,009,000
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                     2,009,000
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         1.27
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         1.27