Gu-Win at a glance
- Population: 143 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 429th-largest of 462 places in Alabama.
- 2020 Census base: 141 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.4% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Alabama places: 429th of the state's 462 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 7% of places in Alabama are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.9443 / -87.8704, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Guin, AL (3 mi); Twin, AL (3 mi); Winfield, AL (5 mi); Brilliant, AL (8 mi); Glen Allen, AL (9 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller towns nearby: Eldridge, AL (14 mi); Natural Bridge, AL (19 mi); Gattman, MS (21 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Gu-Win
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
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.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Alabama lending rules that apply in Gu-Win
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted — deferred presentment services licensed by the supervisor; maximum advance $500; maximum fee 17.5% of amount advanced Source says: "a maximum fee on any deferred presentment transaction not to exceed 17.5 percent of the amount advanced"; "The maximum amount that may be advanced in any deferred presentment transaction is five hundred dollars ($500)". | Alabama State Banking Department — Deferred Presentment Services Act (Code of Alabama §§ 5-18A-1 et seq.) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Alabama Small Loan Act license required from the supervisor for loans under $1,500; interest capped at 3% per month on the first $200 and 2% per month on $200–$1,500 Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of lending in amounts of less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500)"; "without first having obtained a license from the supervisor"; "not exceeding three percent a month on that part of the unpaid principal balance not in excess of two hundred dollars". | Alabama State Banking Department — Alabama Small Loan Act (Code of Alabama §§ 5-18-1 et seq.) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Alabama State Banking Department — Bureau of Loans (BOL) Source says: "The Bureau of Loans (hereinafter “the BOL”) was established in 1945". The BOL administers the Small Loan Act, Consumer Credit Act, Pawn Shop Act, Mortgage Brokers Licensing Act, Deferred Presentment Services Act and SAFE Act. | Alabama State Banking Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| Parity lending rate provision (§ 8-8-1.1) | Any lender may charge the same rates as any federally or state-chartered or licensed lending institution in Alabama Source says: "may, on any loans or extensions of credit made by them, charge or impose the same rate of interest or finance charge". | Alabama Legislature — Code of Alabama 1975, § 8-8-1.1 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum without a written contract; 8% per annum by written contract Source says: "except by written contract is $6 upon $100 for one year"; "the rate of interest by written contract is not to exceed $8 upon $100 for one year". (Code text retrieved from the Alabama Legislature's official Code of Alabama service.) | Alabama Legislature — Code of Alabama 1975, § 8-8-1 as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Gu-Win
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Gu-Win:
- 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 Alabama using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.