Bellefontaine at a glance
- Population: about 14,073, 124th by size in Ohio of 924 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 14,123 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.4% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 124th in population of 924 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 87% of Ohio's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.3627, -83.7630 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Sidney, OH (22 mi); Marysville, OH (23 mi); Piqua, OH (29 mi); Springfield, OH (30 mi); Lima, OH (32 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller towns nearby: Zanesfield, OH (5 mi); Valley Hi, OH (6 mi); Huntsville, OH (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Bellefontaine
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
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.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Bellefontaine
The table carries the Ohio rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Bellefontaine.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bellefontaine
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Bellefontaine:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.