Madison at a glance
- Population: roughly 4,964 people; 144th of 536 places in Georgia (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 4,436 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 11.9% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 144th out of 536 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 73% of places in Georgia rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 33.5790, -83.4760.
- Nearest larger cities: Social Circle, GA (14 mi); Eatonton, GA (18 mi); Monroe, GA (21 mi); Covington, GA (21 mi); Conyers, GA (30 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Smaller towns nearby: Buckhead, GA (7 mi); Rutledge, GA (8 mi); Bostwick, GA (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Madison
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Madison
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Installment Loan Act rate cap | 10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted. | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited (payday lending illegal in Georgia) Source says: "Payday lending is illegal in Georgia." | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment lender license required for loans of $3,000 or less Source says: "any entity making loans of $3,000.00 or less to individuals must be licensed with the Department as an installment lender". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Madison
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Madison:
- 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 Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.