Virginia Gardens at a glance
- Population: 2,260, the 283rd-largest community in Florida out of 411 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 2,362 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.3% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 283rd of the state's 411 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 31% of the places in Florida (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 25.8095 latitude, -80.2975 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Miami Springs, FL (1 mi); West Miami, FL (4 mi); Doral, FL (4 mi); Hialeah, FL (4 mi); Sweetwater, FL (6 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller towns: Medley, FL (5 mi); El Portal, FL (7 mi); Indian Creek, FL (11 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Virginia Gardens
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
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.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Florida lending rules that apply in Virginia Gardens
Each row below is a Florida rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Virginia Gardens
A few practical steps will make the process in Virginia Gardens less costly:
- 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.