Alexandria at a glance
- Population: 155,230 — 6th in Virginia, which has 227 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 159,464 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 2.7% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Virginia places: 6th of the state's 227 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 97% of Virginia places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 38.8193, -77.0837.
- Nearest larger cities: Washington, DC (7 mi); Baltimore, MD (42 mi); Richmond, VA (91 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller places: Forest Heights, MD (4 mi); Falls Church, VA (7 mi); Somerset, MD (10 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Alexandria
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Virginia lending rules that apply in Alexandria
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Virginia, and therefore in Alexandria.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per year maximum contract rate, except as otherwise permitted by law (Va. Code § 6.2-303) Source says: no contract shall be made for the payment of interest on a loan at a rate that exceeds 12 percent per year | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at a 36% simple annual rate plus limited fees (Va. Code § 6.2-1817) Source says: Interest at a simple annual rate not to exceed 36 percent | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance license required from the State Corporation Commission (Va. Code § 6.2-1501) Source says: No person shall engage in the business of making loans to individuals for personal, family, household, or other nonbusiness purposes | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) Source says: The Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) is a regulatory division of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC.) | Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alexandria
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Alexandria:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Virginia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.