Charleston at a glance
- Population: 411, the 208th-largest community in Utah out of 255 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 435 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a decline of roughly 5.5% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Utah places: 208th out of 255 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 18% of Utah's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.4673 / -111.4595, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Daniel, UT (3 mi); Midway, UT (4 mi); Heber, UT (6 mi); Brighton, UT (12 mi); Hideout, UT (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller places: Interlaken, UT (5 mi); Wallsburg, UT (6 mi); Independence, UT (9 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Charleston
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Utah lending rules that apply in Charleston
Each row below is a Utah rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer lenders under the Utah Consumer Credit Code (Title 70C) must file a Consumer Credit Notification via NMLS Source says: Entities subject to the UCCC's notification requirement must file a Consumer Credit Notification (CCN) through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS). | Utah Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Utah Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Source says: The Department of Financial Institutions regulates 19 banks, 22 credit unions, 17 industrial banks and 1 trust company. | Utah Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | No general cap — parties may agree to any rate; 10% per annum legal rate if no rate is specified (Utah Code § 15-1-1) Source says: The parties to a lawful written, verbal, or implied contract may agree upon any rate of interest for the contract | Utah State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal; deferred deposit lenders must register with the Utah DFI (Utah Code Title 7, ch. 23) Source says: It is unlawful for a person to engage in the business of cashing checks or the business of deferred deposit lending in Utah | Utah State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Charleston
A few practical steps will make the process in Charleston less costly:
- 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 Utah using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.