Personal loans in Chesterfield, SC
For a borrower in Chesterfield, South Carolina, a personal loan can be a reasonable tool or a costly one, and the terms decide which. The Census estimates 1,361 people in Chesterfield, larger than about 48% of the communities in South Carolina. Chesterfield gained roughly 0.4% in population across the 2020-to-2023 comparison. State law, rather than federal rules alone, supplies South Carolina's rate caps and licensing requirements. Read the disclosure for an origination fee and any prepayment penalty before signing. The nearest larger metro is Cheraw, SC about 10 miles away.
Borrowing in Chesterfield: the local picture
Only a few things actually differ by place — population, location, and the South Carolina rules a lender must follow — and they are below.
- Population: about 1,361 people live here, which puts Chesterfield 140th of 271 Census places in South Carolina (Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: Higher by roughly 0.4% since the 2020 count.
- Size percentile: about 48% of South Carolina communities are smaller.
- Location: it lies at 34.7330, -80.0780 in the Census Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Cheraw (10 mi); Wadesboro (16 mi); Pageland (18 mi); Polkton (20 mi); Rockingham (23 mi). Online lenders reach Chesterfield no matter how far the nearest branch is.
- Smaller places nearby: Ruby (6 mi); McFarlan (8 mi); Mount Croghan (9 mi).
What South Carolina law requires in Chesterfield
When the state does not publish a figure, the row links to the source instead of inventing a number.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised loan threshold (state-specific rule) | Consumer loans with a finance charge above 12%/year are "supervised loans" requiring licensed supervised lenders; supervised lenders may charge up to 18% per year on unpaid balances. Source says: "Supervised loan means a consumer loan in which the rate of the loan finance charge exceeds twelve percent per year" (37-3-301); "eighteen percent per year on the unpaid balances of principal" (37-3-201(2)(c)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8.75% per annum statutory legal rate where no rate is agreed (judgment rate: Wall Street Journal prime + 4 points). Source says: "the legal interest shall be at the rate of eight and three-fourths percent per annum" (S.C. Code 34-31-20(A)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment providers; max $550 advanced at one time; fee limited to 15% of principal; term up to 31 days; 2025 repeal bill S.379 introduced but not enacted. Source says: "The total amount advanced by a licensee to any customer at one time for deferred presentment or deposit may not exceed five hundred fifty dollars" (34-39-180(B)); fees capped at "fifteen percent of the principal amount of the transaction" (34-39-180(E)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Division licenses and regulates companies making consumer loans with APRs exceeding 12% (Title 37 Consumer Protection Code; Consumer Finance Act, Title 34, ch. 29). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Division (CFD) licenses and regulates the business activities of all companies... that make consumer loans which have annual percentage rates exceeding 12%." | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division (Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance) Source says: "South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance" (site heading). | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
What a Chesterfield personal loan looks like
In Chesterfield, as throughout South Carolina, federal Truth in Lending rules require a lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. Compare the APR rather than the interest rate, because origination fees and sometimes prepayment penalties are folded into it. If the payment would strain your budget, a smaller loan or a longer saving period is the safer route.
A pre-application checklist for Chesterfield
A sensible order of operations for a loan in Chesterfield:
- Order your free credit reports and dispute anything inaccurate — it is the cheapest way to move the rate you are offered.
- Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
- Pre-qualify with three or more lenders, then compare the APR rather than the interest rate.
- Confirm the lender holds a South Carolina licence by checking the regulator named above.
- If debt is already a struggle, talk to a nonprofit credit counsellor before borrowing more.
Common questions
What are my options in Chesterfield if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Chesterfield?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Chesterfield?
Does comparing loans in Chesterfield cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Ruby, SC — population 321
- McFarlan, NC — population 89
- Morven, NC — population 327
- Mount Croghan, SC — population 133
- Patrick, SC — population 281
- Cheraw, SC — population 4,995
- Wadesboro, NC — population 4,935
- Lilesville, NC — population 391