Arcade at a glance
- Population: 1,980 — 238th in Georgia, which has 536 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 1,885 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 5.0% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 238th-largest of 536 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 56% of Georgia's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 34.0735, -83.5281 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Jefferson, GA (6 mi); Statham, GA (9 mi); Commerce, GA (10 mi); Winder, GA (13 mi); Maysville, GA (13 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Nicholson, GA (7 mi); Bogart, GA (9 mi); Pendergrass, GA (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Arcade
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Arcade
The table lists the Georgia rules that apply to a loan made in Arcade, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Installment Loan Act rate cap | 10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted. | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited (payday lending illegal in Georgia) Source says: "Payday lending is illegal in Georgia." | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment lender license required for loans of $3,000 or less Source says: "any entity making loans of $3,000.00 or less to individuals must be licensed with the Department as an installment lender". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Arcade
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Arcade:
- 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 Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.