Bay City at a glance
- Population: about 17,561, 167th by size in Texas of 1,224 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 18,053 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 2.7% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: the 167th-largest of 1,224 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 86% of Texas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 28.9835, -95.9599 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Lake Jackson, TX (31 mi); Angleton, TX (35 mi); Rosenberg, TX (40 mi); Sugar Land, TX (46 mi); Missouri City, TX (47 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller places close by: Sweeny, TX (16 mi); West Columbia, TX (22 mi); El Campo, TX (24 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Bay City
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
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.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Texas lending rules that apply in Bay City
The table carries the Texas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Bay City.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bay City
Before you share your details with a lender in Bay City:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.