Carthage at a glance
- Population: 4,821 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 64th-largest of 299 places in Mississippi.
- 2020 Census base: 4,897 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 1.6% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Mississippi places: 64th of the state's 299 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 79% of places in Mississippi rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 32.7442 latitude, -89.5335 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Kosciusko, MS (22 mi); Philadelphia, MS (24 mi); Forest, MS (27 mi); Canton, MS (31 mi); Louisville, MS (38 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Lena, MS (11 mi); Walnut Grove, MS (11 mi); Sebastopol, MS (17 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Carthage
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Mississippi lending rules that apply in Carthage
Each row below is a Mississippi rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the maximum finance charge for licensed small-loan lenders is set by Miss. Code § 75-17-21, which § 75-67-119 references as the limit; no retrievable official page published the current figure for direct verification. | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — check cashers (delayed-deposit/payday transactions) are licensed consumer-finance industries regulated by DBCF (Miss. Code § 75-67-501 et seq.) Source says: "These industries include Money Transmitter, Small Loan, Check Cashers, Pawnbroker, Title Pledge, Consumer Loan Broker" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small loan license required (Small Loan Regulatory Law; Miss. Code § 75-67-105) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of lending money ... without being the holder of a valid and subsisting license" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance (DBCF) Source says: "The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance's (DBCF) mission is to regulate, supervise and safeguard financial institutions chartered and licensed in Mississippi" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed-deposit (payday) fee caps | $20 per $100 advanced on checks ≤$250; $21.95 per $100 on checks over $250 (DBCF rule) Source says: "Delayed deposit transaction: $20.00 per $100.00 advanced for checks $250.00 and under" | Mississippi Secretary of State (DBCF administrative regulations) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Carthage
Before you share your details with a lender in Carthage:
- 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 Mississippi using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.