Personal loans in St. Marys, OH
What is genuinely local about borrowing in St. Marys, Ohio is limited; the statewide rules are what actually govern a loan. By population, St. Marys sits at 196th in Ohio, with an estimated 8,377 residents. Population in St. Marys dropped about 0.3% over the three years from 2020 to 2023. To lend to consumers in Ohio, a company must hold a state licence, and each sourced row below names the regulator behind it. Compare APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in most fees. The closest larger place is Celina, OH about 9 miles away.
Borrowing in St. Marys: the local picture
Only a few things actually differ by place — population, location, and the Ohio rules a lender must follow — and they are below.
- Population: 8,377 people, a figure that places St. Marys 196th among the 924 Census places in Ohio (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: Roughly 0.3% fewer residents than the 2020 Census counted.
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 79% of Ohio's Census places.
- Location: latitude 40.5476, longitude -84.3923 (Census Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Celina (9 mi); Wapakoneta (11 mi); Lima (20 mi); Sidney (21 mi); Van Wert (24 mi). A branch is convenient; it is not what sets your APR.
- Nearest smaller places: New Knoxville (5 mi); New Bremen (8 mi); Buckland (9 mi).
What Ohio law requires in St. Marys
Every row below records a Ohio rule, its publisher and its retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
What a St. Marys personal loan looks like
Two numbers drive a St. Marys personal loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. Compare the APR rather than the interest rate, because origination fees and sometimes prepayment penalties are folded into it. No advertised example rate is a quote for your own situation.
A pre-application checklist for St. Marys
Complete these steps first when you borrow in St. Marys:
- 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 Ohio 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 St. Marys if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in St. Marys?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in St. Marys?
Does comparing loans in St. Marys cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- New Knoxville, OH — population 905
- New Bremen, OH — population 2,978
- Chickasaw, OH — population 350
- Buckland, OH — population 229
- Minster, OH — population 2,999
- Spencerville, OH — population 2,164
- Montezuma, OH — population 150
- Celina, OH — population 10,885