Red Bluff at a glance
- Population: 14,413 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 329th-largest of 482 places in California.
- 2020 Census base: 14,715 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a decline of roughly 2.1% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among California places: 329th of 482 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 32% of California's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.1735, -122.2415 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Redding, CA (28 mi); Chico, CA (36 mi); Oroville, CA (59 mi); Yuba City, CA (79 mi); Clearlake, CA (86 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Tehama, CA (12 mi); Corning, CA (17 mi); Anderson, CA (19 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Red Bluff
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
California lending rules that apply in Red Bluff
The California rate caps and licensing rules that reach Red Bluff are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Red Bluff
Before you commit to a personal loan in Red Bluff, 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 California using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.