Tellico Plains at a glance
- Population: about 777 residents, ranking 256th of 344 Census places in Tennessee (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 763 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.8% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Tennessee places: 256th of 344 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 26% of Tennessee's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.3665, -84.2981 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Englewood, TN (11 mi); Madisonville, TN (11 mi); Etowah, TN (13 mi); Vonore, TN (16 mi); Niota, TN (18 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller places: Philadelphia, TN (22 mi); Ducktown, TN (23 mi); Lake Santeetlah, NC (24 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Tellico Plains
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Tennessee lending rules that apply in Tellico Plains
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | TDFI Compliance Division licenses industrial loan & thrift companies, deferred presentment companies, flexible credit companies, and other consumer lenders Source says: The Compliance Division is responsible for the licensing and regulatory supervision of the following types of financial institutions operating in Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) Source says: The Department regulates banks, credit unions, trust companies, business and industrial development corporations, industrial loan and thrift companies | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10.75% per annum (maximum effective formula rate for written contracts, announced September 15, 2026) Source says: the maximum effective formula rate of interest in Tennessee is 10.75 percent per annum | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Licensed; deferred presentment services (payday) lenders must obtain a TDFI license, including internet lenders (Tenn. Code Ann. § 45-17-103) Source says: deferred presentment services in this state through the use of the internet, facsimile, telephone, or other means without having first obtained a license | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Tellico Plains
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Tellico Plains:
- 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 Tennessee using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.