Barre at a glance
- Population: 8,387 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 5th-largest of 40 places in Vermont.
- 2020 Census base: 8,489 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.2% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Vermont places: 5th largest of 40 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 88% of Vermont's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 44.1991, -72.5080 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Essex Junction, VT (36 mi); South Burlington, VT (37 mi); Lebanon, NH (41 mi); Burlington, VT (41 mi); Rutland, VT (47 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller communities: Montpelier, VT (6 mi); Marshfield, VT (13 mi); Wells River, VT (22 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Barre
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Vermont lending rules that apply in Barre
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Lender license required from the Commissioner (8 V.S.A. ch. 73, § 2201) Source says: Without first obtaining a license under this chapter from the Commissioner, a person shall not | Vermont General Assembly (Vermont Statutes Online) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR), Banking Division Source says: The Banking Division regulates the below listed non-depository financial services. | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum general legal rate; 18% permitted for certain single-payment loans by regulated lenders (9 V.S.A. § 41a) Source says: the rate of interest or the sum allowed for forbearance or use of money shall be 12 percent per annum computed by the actuarial method | Vermont General Assembly (Vermont Statutes Online) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited — payday loans (postdated check lending) are explicitly banned in Vermont Source says: Payday loans (loans contingent on a postdated payment instrument) are explicitly banned. | Vermont Attorney General as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Barre
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Barre:
- 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 Vermont using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.