Manchester at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 2,788 residents, ranking 342nd of 1,013 places in Pennsylvania (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 2,800 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 0.4% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Pennsylvania places: 342nd by size among 1,013 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 66% of the places in Pennsylvania (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 40.0612, longitude -76.7194 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: York, PA (7 mi); West York, PA (8 mi); Marietta, PA (9 mi); Elizabethtown, PA (9 mi); Middletown, PA (10 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Mount Wolf, PA (1 mi); York Haven, PA (3 mi); North York, PA (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Manchester
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Pennsylvania lending rules that apply in Manchester
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Manchester: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum maximum for loans of $50,000 or less where no lower rate is contracted (41 P.S. 201(a)). Source says: "the maximum lawful rate of interest for the loan or use of money... shall be six per cent per annum" (Loan Interest and Protection Law, Section 201(a)). | Pennsylvania General Assembly (Laws of Pennsylvania, Act 6 of 1974) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | No separate payday-lending license; non-bank lenders are limited to 6% (unlicensed) or up to 24% (CDCA-licensed), so high-cost payday loans are not permitted. Source says: "if a lender is licensed by the Department in accord with the CDCA, it can charge between 6-24% on loans under $25,000" (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023). | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Discount Company Act license required for non-mortgage consumer loans above 6%; licensed lenders may charge up to 24% on loans of $25,000 or less. Source says: "A consumer discount company is a business corporation that negotiates or makes non-mortgage loans or advances of money on credit." | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) Source says: "The Department of Banking and Securities regulates financial services in Pennsylvania." | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| Bank rate-cap exemption (state-specific rule) | Pennsylvania state-chartered banks are not subject to state interest-rate caps (Banking Code Sections 303/506 supersede the LIPL 6% cap). Source says: "Pennsylvania law does not impose any restrictions on the interest rate that Pennsylvania state-chartered banks may charge to customers." (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023). | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Manchester
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Manchester:
- 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 Pennsylvania using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.