Cary at a glance
- Population: 180,010 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 7th-largest of 549 places in North Carolina.
- 2020 Census base: 174,784 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 3.0% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 7th of the state's 549 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 99% of North Carolina's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.7813, -78.8234 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Raleigh, NC (11 mi); Durham, NC (14 mi); Fayetteville, NC (49 mi); Greensboro, NC (60 mi); Winston-Salem, NC (83 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller places close by: Morrisville, NC (4 mi); Apex, NC (5 mi); Holly Springs, NC (9 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Cary
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed 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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Cary
The North Carolina rate caps and licensing rules that reach Cary are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Cary
Run through this list before signing anything in Cary:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.