Firebaugh at a glance
- Population: 8,547 residents, the 384th-largest of 482 places in California (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 8,096 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 5.6% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among California places: 384th of the state's 482 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 20% of the Census places in California (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 36.8537, longitude -120.4537 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Mendota, CA (8 mi); Chowchilla, CA (22 mi); Madera, CA (22 mi); Kerman, CA (23 mi); Los Banos, CA (26 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller places: Dos Palos, CA (13 mi); San Joaquin, CA (23 mi); Gustine, CA (41 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Firebaugh
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
California lending rules that apply in Firebaugh
The table carries the California rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Firebaugh.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law; max $300 face amount; fee ≤15%; term up to 31 days Source says: "The face amount of the check shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300)"; "A fee for a deferred deposit transaction shall not exceed 15 percent of the face amount of the check" (Financial Code § 23036). | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23035 (and § 23036) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Finance lender/broker license required from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation (California Financing Law) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of a finance lender or broker without obtaining a license from the commissioner". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22100 as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Source says: "“Department” means the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23001 as of 2026-09-16 |
| 36% rate cap on mid-size consumer loans (AB 539) | Consumer loans of $2,500 to under $10,000: cap of 36% per annum simple interest plus the Federal Funds Rate Source says: "charges at a rate not exceeding an annual simple interest rate of 36 percent per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22304.5 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum default; written contracts may set up to 10% per annum for consumer-purpose loans Source says: "shall be 7 percent per annum"; "for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, at a rate not exceeding 10 percent per annum". | California Legislature — California Constitution, Article XV, § 1 as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Firebaugh
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Firebaugh:
- 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 California using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.