Hot Springs at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 37,994 residents, ranking 11th of 500 places in Arkansas (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 37,935 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.2% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: the 11th-largest of 500 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 98% of Arkansas places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.4894 / -93.0503, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Little Rock, AR (43 mi); North Little Rock, AR (51 mi); Conway, AR (52 mi); Pine Bluff, AR (62 mi); Fort Smith, AR (96 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller places close by: Mountain Pine, AR (9 mi); Fountain Lake, AR (11 mi); Lonsdale, AR (14 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Hot Springs
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Hot Springs
Each row below is a Arkansas rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Hot Springs
Before you share your details with a lender in Hot Springs:
- 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.