Oakwood at a glance
- Population: roughly 540 people; 652nd of 924 places in Ohio (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 547 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 1.3% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Ohio places: 652nd largest of 924 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 29% of Ohio places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.0928 latitude, -84.3747 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Continental, OH (5 mi); Ottoville, OH (11 mi); Paulding, OH (11 mi); Kalida, OH (12 mi); Defiance, OH (13 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Melrose, OH (2 mi); Dupont, OH (5 mi); Cloverdale, OH (6 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Oakwood
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Oakwood
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Oakwood: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Oakwood
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Oakwood:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.