North Plainfield at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 22,566, placing it 41st among New Jersey's 323 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 22,806 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 1.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New Jersey places: the 41st-largest of 323 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 87% of New Jersey places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.6213, -74.4395 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Plainfield, NJ (1 mi); South Plainfield, NJ (3 mi); Westfield, NJ (5 mi); Rahway, NJ (8 mi); New Brunswick, NJ (9 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Watchung, NJ (2 mi); Dunellen, NJ (3 mi); Fanwood, NJ (3 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in North Plainfield
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
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.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
New Jersey lending rules that apply in North Plainfield
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer lender license required for loans of $50,000 or less for personal, family, or household purposes (N.J.S.A. 17:11C-1 et seq.) Source says: "A consumer lender license is required for the making of a loan that is to be used primarily for personal, family or household purposes" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI); Office of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders Source says: "The Office of Consumer Finance regulates 16 types of businesses that provide a variety of consumer financial services." | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury limits | 30% for non-corporate borrowers; 50% for corporations Source says: "the criminal usury limitation is 50 percent for corporations and 30 percent for non-corporate borrowers" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Civil usury: rates above 6% (agreement not in writing) or above 16% (written contract specifying the rate) Source says: "the civil usury rate is any interest rate greater than 6 percent for an agreement that is not in writing" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Unlicensed payday lending violates New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates; payday lenders must be licensed Source says: "out-of-state or foreign entities that have not obtained the required New Jersey license and whose payment terms violate New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in North Plainfield
Run through this list before signing anything in North Plainfield:
- 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 New Jersey using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.