Personal loans in Clay Center, OH

Clay Center counts about 251 people, and what is genuinely local about borrowing here is limited — Ohio law does the governing. From the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate, the population declined by about 3.8%.

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

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At about 251 residents, Clay Center is larger than roughly 15% of the places in Ohio. Begin with the payment, then weigh APR and total interest across the lenders that reach Clay Center's 251 residents. Which products a lender may offer to Clay Center's 251 residents follows from the Ohio consumer-lending framework. For a bigger market, look to Millbury, OH about 3 miles away.

Where Clay Center stands

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

Population: 251 — Clay Center ranks 782nd of 924 communities in Ohio (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: A decline of about 3.8% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison.
Change in people: the 2020-to-2023 comparison is a loss of about 10 residents.
Size percentile: roughly 15% of Ohio's places have fewer residents than Clay Center's 251.
Land and density: 1.0 square miles of land carry roughly 248 residents per square mile.
Land area: Clay Center covers 1.0 square miles, the 516th-largest area among Ohio's 924 places.
State population share: Clay Center accounts for about 0.0% of everyone in Ohio.
National rank: Clay Center is the 15,738th most populous of the 19,457 Census places covered here.
Growth rank: Clay Center ranks 914th among Ohio's 924 places for the 2020-to-2023 change.
State comparison: Ohio's places average +0.9% for 2020-to-2023, against Clay Center's 3.8%.
Density in Ohio: Clay Center ranks 890th by people per square mile.
Density vs Ohio: Clay Center's 248 people per square mile compare with a state median of 1,289.
Location: latitude 41.5731, longitude -83.3641 (Census Gazetteer).
Nearest larger cities: Millbury (3 mi); Genoa (4 mi); Walbridge (6 mi); Northwood (7 mi); Oregon (7 mi). Larger metros often have more branches, but online lenders reach Clay Center on the same terms.
Nearest smaller towns: Harbor View (9 mi); Helena (17 mi); Burgoon (22 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
Smaller neighbours: 16 places smaller than Clay Center sit within 50 miles.
Larger places within 100 miles: 510.

Ohio consumer-lending rules applied in Clay Center

These are Ohio's sourced lending facts as they reach Clay Center's 251 residents; the state has no city-level rate rule.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses."	Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16
Small-loan / installment lender licensing	Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders).	Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16
Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap)	8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network]	Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16

The anatomy of a Clay Center personal loan

With roughly 251 residents, Clay Center is a small community; its personal loans are typically unsecured, priced from your credit rather than the city's size. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Clay Center lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. The term you choose in Clay Center decides the split between a comfortable payment and the total interest you pay.

What is available to Clay Center borrowers

Clay Center is lightly settled, with about 248 people per square mile and 122 larger places within 50 miles. A Ohio licence lets a lender serve Clay Center without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 251 residents are offered. The nearest bigger place is Millbury, OH about 3 miles away.

A pre-application checklist for Clay Center

A sensible order of operations for a loan in Clay Center, home to about 251 people:

Get your credit reports, dispute what is wrong, and only then start shopping.
Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
Line up several pre-qualified offers and let the APR decide.
Make sure the lender appears in the Ohio regulator's licence list.
Borrow only what the purpose requires, not the maximum you are offered.
Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.
When debt already feels heavy, a nonprofit credit counsellor is worth a call first.

The process is identical across Ohio; what changes is your credit file, not the fact that Clay Center holds 251 people.

Clay Center in state context

Within Ohio, Clay Center holds roughly 0.0% of all residents, the 782nd-largest share among 924 places. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 914th of 924 Ohio places, putting it near the 1th percentile for growth. At about 248 people per square mile, Clay Center is the 890th most densely settled place in Ohio. Between 2020 and 2023 the count changed by roughly 10 residents.

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Common questions

What are my options in Clay Center 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 Clay Center is the same as anywhere in Ohio.

What loan size can I expect in Clay Center?

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 Clay Center?

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 Clay Center 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

Genoa, OH — population 2,193
Millbury, OH — population 1,197
Oregon, OH — population 19,711
Woodville, OH — population 1,985
Walbridge, OH — population 3,043
Northwood, OH — population 5,211
Elmore, OH — population 1,374
Harbor View, OH — population 90