Pelham at a glance
- Population: about 3,432, 184th by size in Georgia of 536 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 3,507 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 2.1% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 184th of the state's 536 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 66% of places in Georgia are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 31.1266 / -84.1515, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Camilla, GA (8 mi); Cairo, GA (17 mi); Moultrie, GA (22 mi); Thomasville, GA (22 mi); Bainbridge, GA (29 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller places: Meigs, GA (5 mi); Ochlocknee, GA (12 mi); Sale City, GA (12 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Pelham
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
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.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Pelham
The table lists the Georgia rules that apply to a loan made in Pelham, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Pelham
Before you commit to a personal loan in Pelham, work through these steps:
- 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.