<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
3rd Quarter 1998 10-Q.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000872835
<NAME>                        ESB FINANCIAL CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<CASH>                                         2,203
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         6,726
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               1,043
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    489,800
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         69,346
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           69,573
<LOANS>                                        356,594
<ALLOWANCE>                                    4,823
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 966,220
<DEPOSITS>                                     412,073
<SHORT-TERM>                                   173,449
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            7,508
<LONG-TERM>                                    285,499
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       58
<OTHER-SE>                                     61,828
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 966,220
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                20,754
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              25,944
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               1,103
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               47,801
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             13,147
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             35,141
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          12,660
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  4
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             311
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                8,314
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                5,805
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     5,805
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   4,595
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.84
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.81
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 7.13
<LOANS-NON>                                    5,246
<LOANS-PAST>                                   0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               4,807
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                  12
<RECOVERIES>                                   3
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              4,823
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           4,823
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        0