Personal loans in Buford, GA

A lender serving Buford holds a Georgia licence and answers to a Georgia regulator; no city office is involved for its 18,273 residents. Lenders active in Buford report to a Georgia supervisor, identified in the sourced rows below.

By the Personalloaner Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-16

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Buford is one of 536 Census places in Georgia; its 18,273 residents put it at 62nd. Use the calculator on this page to price an amount and term before you commit in Buford. Population in Buford climbed about 6.7% over the three years from 2020 to 2023. The closest larger place is Sugar Hill, GA about 3 miles away.

Buford by the numbers

The figures below are Buford's own — Census population, land area and coordinates — followed by the Georgia rules.

Population: the Census counts 18,273 residents in Buford (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 62nd-largest figure among Georgia's 536 places.
Population trend: Up about 6.7% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate.
People gained or lost: about 1,144 more since the 2020 base.
Size percentile: roughly 88% of Georgia's places have fewer residents than Buford's 18,273.
Population density: about 961 people per square mile (Census land area 19.0 sq mi).
By land area: Buford ranks 44th among Georgia's 536 places, at 19.0 sq mi.
Water area: Buford has 0.09 square miles of water, ranking 123rd of 536 places in Georgia.
Share of Georgia: Buford holds about 0.4% of the state's population, some 18,273 people.
National rank: Buford sits 2,034th by population among the 19,457 places in this dataset.
Growth rank: Buford's 2020-to-2023 change ranks 100th of 536 places in Georgia.
State comparison: Georgia's places average +3.4% for 2020-to-2023, against Buford's 6.7%.
Density rank: Buford is the 131st most densely settled place in Georgia.
Against the state median: Buford runs about 961 residents per square mile, where the Georgia median is 536.
Location: 34.1186 / -83.9886, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
Nearest larger cities: Sugar Hill (3 mi); Suwanee (6 mi); Lawrenceville (11 mi); Duluth (12 mi); Johns Creek (14 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Buford.
Nearest smaller places: Rest Haven (1 mi); Flowery Branch (5 mi); Oakwood (9 mi).
Smaller places within 50 miles: 91 of them.
Larger places within 100 miles: 53.

What Georgia law requires in Buford

When Georgia does not publish a figure, the row links to the source instead of inventing a number; Buford is bound by the same rules.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters".	Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16
Installment Loan Act rate cap	10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract".	Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16
Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap)	See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted.	Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16

Buford in state context

Among Georgia's 536 places, Buford sits at 62nd for population, a share of roughly 0.4% of the state. For population change between 2020 and 2023, Buford ranks 100th of 536 in Georgia (about the 81th percentile). By density, at about 961 people per square mile, it ranks 131st in Georgia. Within 50 miles sit 91 smaller Census places, alongside the 37 that are larger.

What is available to Buford borrowers

With about 961 residents per square mile, Buford is moderately settled, and 37 larger Census places sit within 50 miles. What is available to Buford's 18,273 borrowers is set by Georgia licensing and your own credit, not by how many branches are nearby. For a larger market, the closest option is Sugar Hill, GA about 3 miles away.

The anatomy of a Buford personal loan

A Buford personal loan is an installment loan: a lump sum, then fixed monthly payments over a set term, priced off your credit rather than its 18,273 residents. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Buford lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. A longer term lowers the monthly payment on a Buford loan but raises total interest, so the smallest payment is not the cheapest loan.

Steps to take before a Buford loan

A sensible order of operations for a loan in Buford, home to about 18,273 people:

Get your credit reports, dispute what is wrong, and only then start shopping.
Use the loan calculator to test the payment on your intended amount and term.
Line up several pre-qualified offers and let the APR decide.
Make sure the lender appears in the Georgia regulator's licence list.
Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.
When debt already feels heavy, a nonprofit credit counsellor is worth a call first.
Look for an origination fee or prepayment penalty in the written disclosure.

In Buford as elsewhere in Georgia, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 18,273 residents.

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Common questions

What are my options in Buford if my credit is poor?

Borrowing is still possible, but expect a higher APR and a smaller approved amount. Lenders that accept lower scores hold statewide licences, so what is open to you in Buford is the same as anywhere in Georgia.

What loan size can I expect in Buford?

Most personal loans sit somewhere between $1,000 and $50,000, though the figure you are approved for turns on the lender, your income and your credit. Model the monthly payment first with our personal loan calculator.

Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Buford?

For an unsecured personal loan, no — there is nothing to pledge. A secured loan, such as home equity or one secured by a vehicle, does require collateral, and default puts that asset at risk.

Does comparing loans in Buford cost me credit score points?

Not during pre-qualification, which normally uses a soft pull and leaves your score alone. Submitting a full application triggers a hard inquiry, which can trim a few points briefly.

Nearby places

Rest Haven, GA — population 45
Sugar Hill, GA — population 25,889
Flowery Branch, GA — population 11,607
Suwanee, GA — population 22,913
Oakwood, GA — population 6,412
Dacula, GA — population 7,650
Lawrenceville, GA — population 31,015
Cumming, GA — population 9,471