Personal loans in Ferndale, PA
What is genuinely local about borrowing in Ferndale, Pennsylvania is limited; the statewide rules are what actually govern a loan. With an estimated 1,508 residents, Ferndale is the 492nd-largest of 1,013 places in Pennsylvania. The 2020 count to the 2023 estimate shows about 2.6% decline. Consumer lending in Pennsylvania is governed by state statute; no city ordinance changes it. Read the disclosure for an origination fee and any prepayment penalty before signing. The next larger city is Southmont, PA about 2 miles away.
Borrowing in Ferndale: the local picture
Read the local figures below as context; read the sourced Pennsylvania table as the rulebook a lender here must follow.
- Population: 1,508 people, a figure that places Ferndale 492nd among the 1,013 Census places in Pennsylvania (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: Down about 2.6% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate.
- Size percentile: roughly 51% of Pennsylvania's places have fewer residents.
- Location: the Census Gazetteer records it at 40.2905, -78.9198.
- Nearest larger cities: Southmont (2 mi); Johnstown (2 mi); Geistown (2 mi); Westmont (3 mi); Windber (6 mi). Larger metros often have more branches, but online lenders reach Ferndale on the same terms.
- Nearest smaller towns: Lorain (1 mi); Dale (2 mi); Daisytown (2 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
What Pennsylvania law requires in Ferndale
Read the table as a lender's compliance picture for Ferndale: the rule, the sourced figure, the publisher and the date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | No separate payday-lending license; non-bank lenders are limited to 6% (unlicensed) or up to 24% (CDCA-licensed), so high-cost payday loans are not permitted. Source says: "if a lender is licensed by the Department in accord with the CDCA, it can charge between 6-24% on loans under $25,000" (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023). | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum maximum for loans of $50,000 or less where no lower rate is contracted (41 P.S. 201(a)). Source says: "the maximum lawful rate of interest for the loan or use of money... shall be six per cent per annum" (Loan Interest and Protection Law, Section 201(a)). | Pennsylvania General Assembly (Laws of Pennsylvania, Act 6 of 1974) as of 2026-09-16 |
What a Ferndale personal loan looks like
Two numbers drive a Ferndale personal loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. The familiar mistake is to move a card balance into a personal loan and then run the cards back up, which doubles the debt instead of clearing it. No advertised example rate is a quote for your own situation.
A pre-application checklist for Ferndale
Complete these steps first when you borrow in Ferndale:
- 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 Pennsylvania licence by checking the regulator named above.
- Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.
Common questions
What are my options in Ferndale if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Ferndale?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Ferndale?
Does comparing loans in Ferndale cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Southmont, PA — population 1,996
- Lorain, PA — population 579
- Dale, PA — population 964
- Daisytown, PA — population 285
- Johnstown, PA — population 17,950
- Westmont, PA — population 4,825
- Brownstown, PA — population 678
- Geistown, PA — population 2,303