Personal loans in Folly Beach, SC
Borrowers in Folly Beach, South Carolina usually turn to personal loans for a few reasons: to fold card balances together, to cover a repair, or to bridge a short gap. Folly Beach is one of 271 Census places in South Carolina; its 2,083 residents put it at 111th. A 2020-to-2023 comparison shows Folly Beach up by about 0.4%. South Carolina runs its own consumer-lending licensing through a state agency, and the sourced table on this page lists the figures that apply. Decide the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before sharing any details. The next larger city is James Island, SC about 5 miles away.
Borrowing in Folly Beach: 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 2,083 people live here, which puts Folly Beach 111th of 271 Census places in South Carolina (Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: A gain of roughly 0.4% between 2020 and 2023.
- Size percentile: roughly 59% of South Carolina places rank below it.
- Location: mapped by the US Census Bureau at 32.6693, -79.9606.
- Nearest larger cities: James Island (5 mi); Charleston (11 mi); Mount Pleasant (11 mi); Seabrook Island (14 mi); Hollywood (15 mi). For most borrowers the comparison happens online, not at a branch.
- Nearest smaller towns: Kiawah Island (7 mi); Sullivan's Island (10 mi); Rockville (14 mi).
What South Carolina law requires in Folly Beach
The rows below set out what a licensed lender must follow in South Carolina, and so in Folly Beach.
| 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 Folly Beach personal loan looks like
Two numbers drive a Folly Beach personal loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. Most scoring models treat rate-shopping within a focused window as one inquiry, so comparing offers early is usually safe. No advertised example rate is a quote for your own situation.
A pre-application checklist for Folly Beach
A handful of practical steps will make borrowing in Folly Beach less expensive:
- 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.
- Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.
Common questions
What are my options in Folly Beach if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Folly Beach?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Folly Beach?
Does comparing loans in Folly Beach cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- James Island, SC — population 11,903
- Kiawah Island, SC — population 1,975
- Charleston, SC — population 155,369
- Sullivan's Island, SC — population 1,922
- Mount Pleasant, SC — population 95,232
- Rockville, SC — population 138
- Seabrook Island, SC — population 2,103
- Isle of Palms, SC — population 4,370