Keystone Heights at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 1,536 residents, ranking 313th of 411 places in Florida (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 1,442 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 6.5% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 313th largest of 411 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 24% of Florida's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 29.7829 latitude, -82.0356 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Starke, FL (12 mi); Gainesville, FL (20 mi); Palatka, FL (24 mi); Lake Butler, FL (25 mi); Green Cove Springs, FL (25 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Waldo, FL (8 mi); Hampton, FL (8 mi); Hawthorne, FL (14 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Keystone Heights
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our 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.
Florida lending rules that apply in Keystone Heights
The table lists the Florida rules that apply to a loan made in Keystone Heights, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Keystone Heights
A few practical steps will make the process in Keystone Heights less costly:
- 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.