Geneva at a glance
- Population: 5,866 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 238th-largest of 924 places in Ohio.
- 2020 Census base: 5,923 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.0% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 238th-largest of 924 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 74% of the Census places in Ohio (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 41.8007, -80.9463 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Ashtabula, OH (9 mi); Painesville, OH (17 mi); Conneaut, OH (21 mi); Mentor, OH (21 mi); Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH (22 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH (4 mi); Madison, OH (6 mi); North Perry, OH (9 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Geneva
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Geneva
The table lists the Ohio rules that apply to a loan made in Geneva, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Geneva
Before you commit to a personal loan in Geneva, work through these steps:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.