Personal loans in Oil City, LA

For a borrower among the roughly 868 residents of Oil City, a personal loan is a tool whose cost turns on the terms, not the address. At about 868 residents, Oil City is larger than roughly 44% of the places in Louisiana.

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

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For a community of about 868, the practical step is to compare APR across at least three lenders before committing. A 2020-to-2023 comparison shows Oil City down by about 3.3%. State law, rather than federal rules alone, supplies the rate caps and licensing rules that reach Oil City's 868 residents. The next larger city is Vivian, LA about 9 miles away.

Oil City by the numbers

Read the local figures below as context; read the sourced Louisiana table as the rulebook a lender here must follow.

Population: about 868 people live here, which puts Oil City 168th of 302 Census places in Louisiana (Vintage 2023).
Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is negative, near 3.3%.
Net change: roughly 30 fewer people than the 2020 Census counted.
Size percentile: Oil City's 868 people outrank roughly 44% of the places in Louisiana.
Population density: about 461 people per square mile across 1.9 square miles of land (Census Gazetteer area, Vintage 2023 population).
By land area: Oil City ranks 190th among Louisiana's 302 places, at 1.9 sq mi.
Water: Oil City holds about 0.07 square miles, the 61st-largest water area in Louisiana.
State population share: Oil City accounts for about 0.0% of everyone in Louisiana.
National standing: Oil City ranks 10,840th of 19,457 US places.
Growth rank: Oil City's 2020-to-2023 change ranks 166th of 302 places in Louisiana.
State comparison: Louisiana's places average -2.1% for 2020-to-2023, against Oil City's 3.3%.
Density rank: Oil City is the 165th most densely settled place in Louisiana.
Density in context: Oil City's 461 people per square mile sit against a Louisiana median of 534.
Location: mapped by the US Census Bureau at 32.7458, -93.9751.
Nearest larger cities: Vivian (9 mi); Blanchard (11 mi); Benton (14 mi); Waskom (19 mi); Plain Dealing (20 mi). Larger metros often have more branches, but online lenders reach Oil City on the same terms.
Smaller towns nearby: Mooringsport (5 mi); Belcher (8 mi); Gilliam (10 mi).
Within a 50-mile radius: 31 smaller Census places.
At 100 miles: 116 larger Census places fall inside that radius.

Borrowing reach in Oil City

At roughly 461 people per square mile, Oil City is lightly settled; 34 larger places lie within 50 miles. What is available to Oil City's 868 borrowers is set by Louisiana licensing and your own credit, not by how many branches are nearby. The nearest larger city, Vivian, LA about 9 miles away.

Louisiana rules behind a Oil City personal loan

Every row below records a Louisiana rule, its publisher and its retrieval date — the same rules a Oil City lender must follow.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (OFI), Non-Depository Division Source says: "OFI is responsible for the supervision of various entities which provide financial services to the citizens of the State of Louisiana."	Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16
Payday lending status	Legal and licensed — deferred presentment and small loans ($350 or less, 60 days or less) under OFI-issued licenses Source says: "Persons who make loans of $350 or less for a term of 60 days or less."	Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16
Small-loan / installment lender licensing	Consumer loan license required from OFI before making consumer loans Source says: "Persons who wish to engage in the business of making consumer loans must hold a consumer loan license issued by this Office"	Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16

How personal loans work in Oil City

A Oil City personal loan is an installment loan: a lump sum, then fixed monthly payments over a set term, priced off your credit rather than its 868 residents. Because pricing is borrower-level, two people in Oil City can be quoted different APRs on the same amount and term. The term you choose in Oil City decides the split between a comfortable payment and the total interest you pay.

A practical checklist for Oil City borrowers

For Oil City's roughly 868 residents, these are the steps that most influence the offer:

Get your credit reports, dispute what is wrong, and only then start shopping.
Use the loan calculator to test the payment on your intended amount and term.
Collect three or more offers and compare them on APR, not on the advertised rate.
Look the lender up in the Louisiana regulator's licence records before you sign.
Weigh a shorter term's higher payment against the interest it saves.
Borrow only what the purpose requires, not the maximum you are offered.
Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.

None of these steps is Oil City-specific: the same Louisiana licensing and disclosure rules reach all 868 residents.

Land, water and location for Oil City

Inside Oil City's boundaries lie roughly 1.9 square miles of land and 0.07 square miles of water. With 868 residents, the land area yields roughly 461 people per square mile. The state's population centre of gravity, New Orleans, is roughly 302 miles away. A 50-mile radius around Oil City takes in 34 places that are larger. Within the same 50 miles lie 31 smaller Census places.

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Common questions

What are my options in Oil 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 Oil City is the same as anywhere in Louisiana.

What loan size can I expect in Oil 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 Oil 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 Oil 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

Mooringsport, LA — population 707
Vivian, LA — population 2,942
Belcher, LA — population 240
Gilliam, LA — population 115
Uncertain, TX — population 87
Hosston, LA — population 238
Blanchard, LA — population 3,385
Rodessa, LA — population 183