Personal loans in Clayton, NJ

With 8,948 residents, Clayton outranks about 61% of the communities in New Jersey. Clayton, New Jersey — home to about 8,948 people — is a small town, so the terms you are offered follow New Jersey law rather than any local rule.

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

Compare loan offers Run the numbers first

How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.

Census figures put the 2020-to-2023 increase in Clayton at about 1.6%. Compare APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in most fees on a Clayton loan. Lenders active in Clayton report to a New Jersey supervisor, identified in the sourced rows below. Borrowers who want a bigger city can look to Glassboro, NJ about 3 miles away.

What the Census records for Clayton

Read the local figures below as context; read the sourced New Jersey table as the rulebook a lender here must follow.

A pre-application checklist for Clayton

Before you hand your details to a lender in Clayton, where the population is near 8,948:

  1. Start with the credit file: order the reports, fix the errors, then apply.
  2. Use the loan calculator to test the payment on your intended amount and term.
  3. Shop at least three lenders and judge them on APR and total cost.
  4. Confirm the New Jersey licence with the regulator named above before committing.
  5. Check the disclosure for fees that raise the true cost above the quoted rate.
  6. Make sure the new payment leaves room in a budget you already keep.
  7. Weigh a shorter term's higher payment against the interest it saves.

In Clayton as elsewhere in New Jersey, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 8,948 residents.

Clayton against the rest of New Jersey

Clayton is the 126th-largest of 323 Census places in New Jersey and contains about 0.2% of the state's people. For population change between 2020 and 2023, Clayton ranks 52nd of 323 in New Jersey (about the 84th percentile). At about 1,265 people per square mile, Clayton is the 267th most densely settled place in New Jersey. Between 2020 and 2023 the count changed by roughly 143 residents.

Inside a Clayton personal loan

Clayton is a small town of about 8,948 people, and the personal loans written here are mostly unsecured — no collateral, so the lender leans on your credit file. Two numbers drive a Clayton loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. A longer term lowers the monthly payment on a Clayton loan but raises total interest, so the smallest payment is not the cheapest loan.

New Jersey consumer-lending rules applied in Clayton

These are New Jersey's sourced lending facts as they reach Clayton's 8,948 residents; the state has no city-level rate rule.

RuleDetailSource
State lending regulatorNew Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI); Office of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders
Source says: "The Office of Consumer Finance regulates 16 types of businesses that provide a variety of consumer financial services."		New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
as of 2026-09-16
Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap)Civil usury: rates above 6% (agreement not in writing) or above 16% (written contract specifying the rate)
Source says: "the civil usury rate is any interest rate greater than 6 percent for an agreement that is not in writing"		New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
as of 2026-09-16
Payday lending statusUnlicensed payday lending violates New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates; payday lenders must be licensed
Source says: "out-of-state or foreign entities that have not obtained the required New Jersey license and whose payment terms violate New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates"		New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance
as of 2026-09-16

What is available to Clayton borrowers

At roughly 1,265 people per square mile, Clayton is moderately settled; 41 larger places lie within 50 miles. Whether Clayton has a local branch or not, a New Jersey-licensed lender can serve its 8,948 people online on the same terms. For a larger market, the closest option is Glassboro, NJ about 3 miles away.

Compare personal loan offers Run the numbers first

How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.

Common questions

What are my options in Clayton 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 Clayton is the same as anywhere in New Jersey.
What loan size can I expect in Clayton?
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 Clayton?
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 Clayton 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.

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