Personal loans in Gifford, SC
What is genuinely local about borrowing in Gifford, South Carolina is limited; the statewide rules are what actually govern a loan. With an estimated 251 residents, Gifford is the 220th-largest of 271 places in South Carolina. Population in Gifford dropped about 2.7% over the three years from 2020 to 2023. State law, rather than federal rules alone, supplies South Carolina's rate caps and licensing requirements. If debt is already a strain, a nonprofit credit counsellor can help before you take on more. A larger market lies at Brunson, SC about 5 miles away.
Borrowing in Gifford: the local picture
Two layers matter for a Gifford borrower: the local population picture and South Carolina's consumer-lending statutes.
- Population: 251 residents; Gifford is the 220th-largest of 271 places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: A drop of about 2.7% from 2020 to 2023.
- Size percentile: about 19% of South Carolina's Census places are smaller than it.
- Location: 32.8600, -81.2385 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Brunson (5 mi); Fairfax (7 mi); Hampton (8 mi); Estill (8 mi); Varnville (9 mi). A branch is convenient; it is not what sets your APR.
- Smaller communities within reach: Luray (3 mi); Sycamore (12 mi); Scotia (12 mi).
What South Carolina law requires in Gifford
When the state does not publish a figure, the row links to the source instead of inventing a number.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
What a Gifford personal loan looks like
When you apply for a personal loan in Gifford, most lenders start with pre-qualification, which uses a soft credit pull and leaves your score alone. Compare the APR rather than the interest rate, because origination fees and sometimes prepayment penalties are folded into it. If the payment would strain your budget, a smaller loan or a longer saving period is the safer route.
A pre-application checklist for Gifford
A handful of practical steps will make borrowing in Gifford 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.
- If debt is already a struggle, talk to a nonprofit credit counsellor before borrowing more.
Common questions
What are my options in Gifford if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Gifford?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Gifford?
Does comparing loans in Gifford cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Luray, SC — population 95
- Brunson, SC — population 416
- Fairfax, SC — population 1,384
- Estill, SC — population 1,767
- Hampton, SC — population 2,610
- Varnville, SC — population 1,622
- Allendale, SC — population 2,490
- Sycamore, SC — population 140