Topsail Beach at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 497, placing it 421st among North Carolina's 549 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 463 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 7.3% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 421st of 549 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 23% of places in North Carolina are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.3664 / -77.6476, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Surf City, NC (8 mi); Holly Ridge, NC (10 mi); Wrightsville Beach, NC (14 mi); North Topsail Beach, NC (15 mi); Wilmington, NC (17 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: St. Helena, NC (19 mi); Watha, NC (26 mi); Sandy Creek, NC (30 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Topsail Beach
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Topsail Beach
Each row below is a North Carolina rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Topsail Beach
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Topsail Beach:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.