Rancho Mirage at a glance
- Population: 17,795 residents, the 313th-largest of 482 places in California (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 16,987 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.8% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among California places: 313th by size among 482 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 35% of California's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.7638 latitude, -116.4304 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Palm Desert, CA (4 mi); Cathedral City, CA (5 mi); Palm Springs, CA (7 mi); Indio, CA (11 mi); La Quinta, CA (12 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller towns nearby: Indian Wells, CA (7 mi); Calimesa, CA (39 mi); Big Bear Lake, CA (42 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Rancho Mirage
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
California lending rules that apply in Rancho Mirage
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 36% rate cap on mid-size consumer loans (AB 539) | Consumer loans of $2,500 to under $10,000: cap of 36% per annum simple interest plus the Federal Funds Rate Source says: "charges at a rate not exceeding an annual simple interest rate of 36 percent per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22304.5 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum default; written contracts may set up to 10% per annum for consumer-purpose loans Source says: "shall be 7 percent per annum"; "for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, at a rate not exceeding 10 percent per annum". | California Legislature — California Constitution, Article XV, § 1 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law; max $300 face amount; fee ≤15%; term up to 31 days Source says: "The face amount of the check shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300)"; "A fee for a deferred deposit transaction shall not exceed 15 percent of the face amount of the check" (Financial Code § 23036). | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23035 (and § 23036) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Finance lender/broker license required from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation (California Financing Law) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of a finance lender or broker without obtaining a license from the commissioner". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22100 as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Source says: "“Department” means the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23001 as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Rancho Mirage
A few practical steps will make the process in Rancho Mirage 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 California using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.