Scotia at a glance
- Population: about 156 residents, ranking 238th of 271 Census places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 160 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 2.5% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among South Carolina places: 238th of the state's 271 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 12% of South Carolina's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 32.6805, -81.2433 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Furman, SC (3 mi); Estill, SC (5 mi); Gifford, SC (12 mi); Hampton, SC (15 mi); Varnville, SC (15 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: Luray, SC (9 mi); Sycamore, SC (24 mi); Ulmer, SC (29 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Scotia
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.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in Scotia
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in South Carolina, and therefore in Scotia.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division (Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance) Source says: "South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance" (site heading). | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Supervised loan threshold (state-specific rule) | Consumer loans with a finance charge above 12%/year are "supervised loans" requiring licensed supervised lenders; supervised lenders may charge up to 18% per year on unpaid balances. Source says: "Supervised loan means a consumer loan in which the rate of the loan finance charge exceeds twelve percent per year" (37-3-301); "eighteen percent per year on the unpaid balances of principal" (37-3-201(2)(c)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8.75% per annum statutory legal rate where no rate is agreed (judgment rate: Wall Street Journal prime + 4 points). Source says: "the legal interest shall be at the rate of eight and three-fourths percent per annum" (S.C. Code 34-31-20(A)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment providers; max $550 advanced at one time; fee limited to 15% of principal; term up to 31 days; 2025 repeal bill S.379 introduced but not enacted. Source says: "The total amount advanced by a licensee to any customer at one time for deferred presentment or deposit may not exceed five hundred fifty dollars" (34-39-180(B)); fees capped at "fifteen percent of the principal amount of the transaction" (34-39-180(E)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Division licenses and regulates companies making consumer loans with APRs exceeding 12% (Title 37 Consumer Protection Code; Consumer Finance Act, Title 34, ch. 29). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Division (CFD) licenses and regulates the business activities of all companies... that make consumer loans which have annual percentage rates exceeding 12%." | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Scotia
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Scotia:
- 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 South Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.