St. Cloud at a glance
- Population: about 66,448 residents, ranking 44th of 411 Census places in Florida (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 58,963 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 12.7% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Florida places: 44th in population of 411 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 89% of Florida's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 28.2352, -81.2840 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Kissimmee, FL (9 mi); Orlando, FL (12 mi); Melbourne, FL (39 mi); Palm Bay, FL (42 mi); Lakeland, FL (43 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Belle Isle, FL (16 mi); Lake Buena Vista, FL (18 mi); Edgewood, FL (18 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in St. Cloud
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Florida lending rules that apply in St. Cloud
Each row below is a Florida rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in St. Cloud
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in St. Cloud:
- 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.