Barling at a glance
- Population: 5,215 residents, the 66th-largest of 500 places in Arkansas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 4,778 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 9.1% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: 66th largest of 500 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 87% of places in Arkansas rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.3313 latitude, -94.2752 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Fort Smith, AR (6 mi); Greenwood, AR (9 mi); Van Buren, AR (9 mi); Alma, AR (12 mi); Poteau, OK (26 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Central City, AR (2 mi); Lavaca, AR (5 mi); Kibler, AR (7 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Barling
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Barling
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Barling
A few practical steps will make the process in Barling less costly:
- 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 Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.