Southwest Ranches at a glance
- Population: 7,566 people, the 190th-largest place among Florida's 411 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 7,605 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 0.5% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Florida places: 190th of the state's 411 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 54% of places in Florida are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 26.0497 latitude, -80.3738 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Pembroke Pines, FL (3 mi); Weston, FL (4 mi); Cooper City, FL (6 mi); Miramar, FL (6 mi); Davie, FL (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Pembroke Park, FL (13 mi); Medley, FL (13 mi); Lazy Lake, FL (16 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Southwest Ranches
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Florida lending rules that apply in Southwest Ranches
The table lists the Florida rules that apply to a loan made in Southwest Ranches, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Southwest Ranches
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Southwest Ranches:
- 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.