<ARTICLE>                                            9
<CIK>                         0000887919
<NAME>                        Premier Financial Bancorp, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              Dec-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 Jan-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   Dec-31-2000
<CASH>                                         23,339
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         737
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               21,087
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    176,494
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         17,906
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           18,249
<LOANS>                                        595,576
<ALLOWANCE>                                    7,821
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 889,932
<DEPOSITS>                                     728,412
<SHORT-TERM>                                   51,374
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            5,700
<LONG-TERM>                                    48,616
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       1,103
<OTHER-SE>                                     54,727
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 889,932
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                56,245
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              11,524
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               1,465
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               69,234
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             32,503
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             40,558
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          28,676
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  4,932
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             (279)
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                26,105
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                1,651
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     1,335
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   1,335
<EPS-BASIC>                                    .26
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  .26
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 3.68 
<LOANS-NON>                                    7,840
<LOANS-PAST>                                   2,196
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               689
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               6,812
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                  4,382
<RECOVERIES>                                   459
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              7,821
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           7,821
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        0

<F1>Computed as tax-equivalent basis