Fitzgerald at a glance
- Population: about 8,942 residents, ranking 103rd of 536 Census places in Georgia (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 9,023 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 0.9% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 103rd in population of 536 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 81% of the places in Georgia (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 31.7130, -83.2522 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Tifton, GA (23 mi); Douglas, GA (27 mi); Cordele, GA (35 mi); Moultrie, GA (49 mi); Albany, GA (55 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Ocilla, GA (8 mi); Rebecca, GA (15 mi); Ambrose, GA (16 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Fitzgerald
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.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Fitzgerald
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Fitzgerald: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment lender license required for loans of $3,000 or less Source says: "any entity making loans of $3,000.00 or less to individuals must be licensed with the Department as an installment lender". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Installment Loan Act rate cap | 10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted. | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited (payday lending illegal in Georgia) Source says: "Payday lending is illegal in Georgia." | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fitzgerald
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Fitzgerald:
- 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 Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.