Center at a glance
- Population: about 5,163, 368th by size in Texas of 1,224 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 5,218 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.1% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 368th of 1,224 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 70% of Texas's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 31.7931, -94.1803 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Carthage, TX (26 mi); Nacogdoches, TX (30 mi); Henderson, TX (44 mi); Lufkin, TX (46 mi); Hudson, TX (48 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller communities: Tenaha, TX (11 mi); Joaquin, TX (14 mi); Timpson, TX (15 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Center
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
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.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Texas lending rules that apply in Center
The Texas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Center are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Center
Before you commit to a personal loan in Center, work through these steps:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.