Clarksville at a glance
- Population: 180,716 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 4th-largest of 344 places in Tennessee.
- 2020 Census base: 166,742 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 8.4% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Tennessee places: the 4th-largest of 344 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: about 99% of Tennessee's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 36.5664, -87.3452.
- Nearest larger cities: no larger city lies within 120 miles.
- Smaller places nearby: Oak Grove, KY (9 mi); Guthrie, KY (12 mi); Trenton, KY (12 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Clarksville
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.
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.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Tennessee lending rules that apply in Clarksville
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) Source says: The Department regulates banks, credit unions, trust companies, business and industrial development corporations, industrial loan and thrift companies | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10.75% per annum (maximum effective formula rate for written contracts, announced September 15, 2026) Source says: the maximum effective formula rate of interest in Tennessee is 10.75 percent per annum | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Licensed; deferred presentment services (payday) lenders must obtain a TDFI license, including internet lenders (Tenn. Code Ann. § 45-17-103) Source says: deferred presentment services in this state through the use of the internet, facsimile, telephone, or other means without having first obtained a license | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | TDFI Compliance Division licenses industrial loan & thrift companies, deferred presentment companies, flexible credit companies, and other consumer lenders Source says: The Compliance Division is responsible for the licensing and regulatory supervision of the following types of financial institutions operating in Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Clarksville
Run through this list before signing anything in Clarksville:
- 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 Tennessee using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.