Caldwell at a glance
- Population: 429 residents, the 281st-largest of 500 places in Arkansas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 451 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.9% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: the 281st-largest of 500 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 44% of Arkansas places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.0748 latitude, -90.8095 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Forrest City, AR (4 mi); Madison, AR (6 mi); Palestine, AR (9 mi); Wynne, AR (11 mi); Parkin, AR (19 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Colt, AR (4 mi); Widener, AR (8 mi); Haynes, AR (13 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Caldwell
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
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.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Caldwell
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Arkansas, and therefore in Caldwell.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Caldwell
Run through this list before signing anything in Caldwell:
- 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.