Santa Fe at a glance
- Population: 12,980 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 211th-largest of 1,224 places in Texas.
- 2020 Census base: 12,741 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.9% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 211th by size among 1,224 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 83% of Texas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 29.3876, -95.1015.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Dickinson, TX (5 mi); La Marque, TX (7 mi); League City, TX (7 mi); Alvin, TX (8 mi); Friendswood, TX (10 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Hillcrest Village, TX (7 mi); Hitchcock, TX (9 mi); Webster, TX (10 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Santa Fe
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Texas lending rules that apply in Santa Fe
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Santa Fe: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Santa Fe
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Santa Fe:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.