Nelson at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 1,168, placing it 286th among Georgia's 536 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,148 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 1.7% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 286th in population of 536 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 47% of Georgia's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.3765 latitude, -84.3690 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Ball Ground, GA (2 mi); Jasper, GA (7 mi); Canton, GA (11 mi); Dawsonville, GA (14 mi); Holly Springs, GA (16 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: Waleska, GA (11 mi); Talking Rock, GA (13 mi); Fairmount, GA (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Nelson
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Nelson
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| 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 Nelson
A few practical steps will make the process in Nelson 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 Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.