Bethesda at a glance
- Population: 1,183, the 499th-largest community in Ohio out of 924 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,209 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 2.2% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Ohio places: 499th in population of 924 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 46% of Ohio's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.0166, -81.0726 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Barnesville, OH (6 mi); St. Clairsville, OH (10 mi); Cadiz, OH (17 mi); Bellaire, OH (17 mi); Shadyside, OH (17 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Belmont, OH (2 mi); Morristown, OH (3 mi); Fairview, OH (9 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Bethesda
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
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.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Bethesda
The Ohio rate caps and licensing rules that reach Bethesda are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| 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 Bethesda
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Bethesda:
- 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.