Hope at a glance
- Population: 8,558, the 45th-largest community in Arkansas out of 500 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 8,944 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.3% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: the 45th-largest of 500 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 91% of Arkansas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.6682, -93.5889 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Texarkana, AR (28 mi); Texarkana, TX (32 mi); Magnolia, AR (34 mi); Camden, AR (43 mi); Arkadelphia, AR (43 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Perrytown, AR (4 mi); Oakhaven, AR (5 mi); Emmet, AR (8 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Hope
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Hope
The table carries the Arkansas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Hope.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Hope
Before you share your details with a lender in Hope:
- 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 Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.