Personal loans in Emporium, PA

Personal loans in Emporium are mostly unsecured, so the APR reflects how a lender reads your credit — not the city's 1,856 population. With 1,856 residents, Emporium outranks about 56% of the communities in Pennsylvania.

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.

Rate-shopping from Emporium costs nothing at pre-qualification, where a soft pull leaves your credit file alone. Population in Emporium dropped about 3.5% over the three years from 2020 to 2023. Every figure below is Pennsylvania's own, applied to Emporium's 1,856 residents, with the publisher and retrieval date attached. The closest larger place is St. Marys, PA about 15 miles away.

Emporium by the numbers

Two layers matter for a Emporium borrower: the local population picture and Pennsylvania's consumer-lending statutes.

Population: 1,856 — Emporium ranks 441st of 1,013 communities in Pennsylvania (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: Lower by roughly 3.5% since the 2020 count.
Absolute change: 68 residents lost between 2020 and 2023.
Size percentile: about 56% of Pennsylvania's Census places are smaller than Emporium.
Land and density: 0.7 square miles of land carry roughly 2,614 residents per square mile.
Land area: Emporium covers 0.7 square miles, the 596th-largest area among Pennsylvania's 1,013 places.
Water area: Emporium has 0.04 square miles of water, ranking 245th of 1,013 places in Pennsylvania.
Within Pennsylvania: about 0.0% of the state's population lives in Emporium.
National rank: Emporium is 7,888th of 19,457 places nationwide.
Growth in Pennsylvania: Emporium stands 921st by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 1,013 places.
Versus Pennsylvania: the state average change is -0.9%, while Emporium moved 3.5%.
Density rank: Emporium is the 385th most densely settled place in Pennsylvania.
Against the state median: Emporium runs about 2,614 residents per square mile, where the Pennsylvania median is 1,990.
Location: coordinates 41.5104, -78.2340 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
Nearest larger cities: St. Marys (15 mi); Port Allegany (21 mi); Coudersport (22 mi); Johnsonburg (23 mi); Ridgway (26 mi). Any of them may have more branches, but statewide rules and your credit still set the price.
Nearest smaller towns: Austin (11 mi); Driftwood (13 mi); Smethport (23 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
Smaller places within 50 miles: 37 of them.
Within 100 miles: 117 places are larger than Emporium.

What shapes a Emporium personal loan

A Emporium personal loan is an installment loan: a lump sum, then fixed monthly payments over a set term, priced off your credit rather than its 1,856 residents. Two numbers drive a Emporium 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 Emporium loan but raises total interest, so the smallest payment is not the cheapest loan.

How lenders reach Emporium

Emporium is a fairly dense community of about 1,856 people, with 17 larger places inside a 50-mile radius. Lenders licensed in Pennsylvania reach Emporium's 1,856 residents online, so the nearest branch is not what sets your APR. For a larger market, the closest option is St. Marys, PA about 15 miles away.

What to do before borrowing in Emporium

A sensible order of operations for a loan in Emporium, home to about 1,856 people:

Get all three reports, dispute anything wrong, and keep the corrected file for your applications.
Run the numbers on the personal loan calculator so you know the payment before you apply.
Shop at least three lenders and judge them on APR and total cost.
Make sure the lender appears in the Pennsylvania regulator's licence list.
Keep the amount to the expense; an approval is not a reason to take more.
Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.
If the balances are already a strain, seek nonprofit credit counselling before adding a loan.

In Emporium as elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 1,856 residents.

Emporium's place among Pennsylvania's 1,013 places

Within Pennsylvania, Emporium holds roughly 0.0% of all residents, the 441st-largest share among 1,013 places. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Emporium stands 921st among Pennsylvania's 1,013 places — roughly the 9th percentile. By density, at about 2,614 people per square mile, it ranks 385th in Pennsylvania. The population moved by about 68 people between 2020 and 2023, a 3.5% shift.

The Pennsylvania lending rules that reach Emporium

The rows below set out what a licensed lender must follow in Pennsylvania, and so for Emporium's roughly 1,856 residents.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) Source says: "The Department of Banking and Securities regulates financial services in Pennsylvania."	Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16
Small-loan / installment lender licensing	Consumer Discount Company Act license required for non-mortgage consumer loans above 6%; licensed lenders may charge up to 24% on loans of $25,000 or less. Source says: "A consumer discount company is a business corporation that negotiates or makes non-mortgage loans or advances of money on credit."	Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16
Bank rate-cap exemption (state-specific rule)	Pennsylvania state-chartered banks are not subject to state interest-rate caps (Banking Code Sections 303/506 supersede the LIPL 6% cap). Source says: "Pennsylvania law does not impose any restrictions on the interest rate that Pennsylvania state-chartered banks may charge to customers." (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023).	Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16

Compare personal loan offers Run the numbers first

Common questions

What are my options in Emporium 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 Emporium is the same as anywhere in Pennsylvania.

What loan size can I expect in Emporium?

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 Emporium?

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 Emporium 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

Austin, PA — population 467
Driftwood, PA — population 35
St. Marys, PA — population 12,399
Port Allegany, PA — population 2,059
Coudersport, PA — population 2,314
Smethport, PA — population 1,386
Johnsonburg, PA — population 2,329
Shinglehouse, PA — population 1,070