Personal loans in Forrest City, AR

Forrest City is a small town of about 12,490 residents, and a personal loan taken out here is governed by Arkansas statute. Population in Forrest City dropped about 4.0% over the three years from 2020 to 2023.

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

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With an estimated 12,490 residents, Forrest City is the 32nd-largest of 500 places in Arkansas. Get pre-qualified with several lenders, then compare APR rather than the headline rate for a Forrest City loan. For the 12,490 people in Forrest City, Arkansas runs its own consumer-lending licensing, and the sourced table below lists the figures that apply. The closest larger place is West Memphis, AR about 35 miles away.

Forrest City: population, trend and location

The figures below are Forrest City's own — Census population, land area and coordinates — followed by the Arkansas rules.

Population: the Census counts 12,490 residents in Forrest City (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 32nd-largest figure among Arkansas's 500 places.
Population trend: A decline of about 4.0% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison.
Change in people: the 2020-to-2023 comparison is a loss of about 526 residents.
Size percentile: roughly 94% of Arkansas places rank below Forrest City.
Population density: 617 people per square mile on 20.2 square miles of land.
By land area: Forrest City ranks 25th among Arkansas's 500 places, at 20.2 sq mi.
Water area rank: Forrest City ranks 80th among Arkansas's 500 places, with 0.07 sq mi.
State population share: Forrest City accounts for about 0.6% of everyone in Arkansas.
National standing: Forrest City ranks 2,698th of 19,457 US places.
Growth rank: Forrest City's 2020-to-2023 change ranks 421st of 500 places in Arkansas.
Versus Arkansas: the state average change is +0.3%, while Forrest City moved 4.0%.
Density in Arkansas: Forrest City ranks 147th by people per square mile.
Against the state median: Forrest City runs about 617 residents per square mile, where the Arkansas median is 386.
Location: 35.0136 / -90.7932, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
Nearest larger cities: West Memphis (35 mi); Marion (36 mi); Horn Lake (42 mi); Southaven (46 mi); Hernando (47 mi). For most borrowers the comparison happens online, not at a branch.
Smaller places nearby: Madison (4 mi); Caldwell (4 mi); Widener (6 mi).
Smaller places within 50 miles: 77 of them.
At 100 miles: 26 larger Census places fall inside that radius.

Getting a loan in Forrest City

Forrest City is a moderately settled community of about 12,490 people, with 6 larger places inside a 50-mile radius. Whether Forrest City has a local branch or not, a Arkansas-licensed lender can serve its 12,490 people online on the same terms. The nearest larger city, West Memphis, AR about 35 miles away.

How Forrest City compares across Arkansas

Within Arkansas, Forrest City holds roughly 0.6% of all residents, the 32nd-largest share among 500 places. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Forrest City stands 421st among Arkansas's 500 places — roughly the 16th percentile. Its roughly 617 residents per square mile place it 147th among Arkansas's places. Within 50 miles sit 77 smaller Census places, alongside the 6 that are larger.

How Arkansas law applies in Forrest City

Below are the Arkansas rules that apply to a loan made in Forrest City, each with the regulator that issued it.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas".	Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16
Payday lending status	Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down".	Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16
Small-loan / installment lender licensing	See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises.	Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16

How a Forrest City personal loan is priced

Most loans made to Forrest City's 12,490 residents are unsecured, so nothing is pledged and the lender relies on your credit history. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Forrest City lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. Shortening the term on a Forrest City loan raises the monthly payment but cuts the interest; lengthening it does the reverse.

What to do before borrowing in Forrest City

For Forrest City's roughly 12,490 residents, these are the steps that most influence the offer:

Pull your credit reports first and correct any error before a lender sees the file.
Run the numbers on the personal loan calculator so you know the payment before you apply.
Get several pre-qualifications and compare APR side by side before choosing.
Look the lender up in the Arkansas regulator's licence records before you sign.
Weigh a shorter term's higher payment against the interest it saves.
Keep the amount to the expense; an approval is not a reason to take more.
Be clear on what the loan is for and how it gets repaid.

In Forrest City as elsewhere in Arkansas, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 12,490 residents.

Compare personal loan offers Run the numbers first

Common questions

What are my options in Forrest City 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 Forrest City is the same as anywhere in Arkansas.

What loan size can I expect in Forrest City?

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 Forrest City?

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 Forrest City 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

Madison, AR — population 717
Caldwell, AR — population 429
Widener, AR — population 203
Colt, AR — population 284
Haynes, AR — population 113
Palestine, AR — population 480
Wynne, AR — population 8,011
Marianna, AR — population 3,314