Clifton at a glance
- Population: roughly 2,257 people; 159th of 344 places in Tennessee (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 2,657 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 15.1% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Tennessee places: the 159th-largest of 344 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 54% of Tennessee's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 35.3773, -87.9912 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Waynesboro, TN (14 mi); Savannah, TN (17 mi); Adamsville, TN (24 mi); Hohenwald, TN (27 mi); Lexington, TN (28 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller places close by: Saltillo, TN (15 mi); Decaturville, TN (16 mi); Sardis, TN (17 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Clifton
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.
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.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Tennessee lending rules that apply in Clifton
The Tennessee rate caps and licensing rules that reach Clifton are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Clifton
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Clifton:
- 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.