Personal loans in Williston, SC
Williston sits inside South Carolina, where a single set of consumer-lending rules governs every lender that operates. Williston is one of 271 Census places in South Carolina; its 2,861 residents put it at 93rd. From the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate, the population declined by about 1.0%. South Carolina runs its own consumer-lending licensing through a state agency, and the sourced table on this page lists the figures that apply. Begin with the payment, then weigh APR and total interest across lenders. The nearest larger city is Barnwell, SC about 12 miles away.
Borrowing in Williston: the local picture
Here is the sourced Census picture for Williston, plus the South Carolina lending rules that apply to a loan taken out here.
- Population: about 2,861 people live here, which puts Williston 93rd of 271 Census places in South Carolina (Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: About 1.0% below the 2020 Census base.
- Size percentile: by population it outranks roughly 66% of the places in South Carolina.
- Location: 33.4017, -81.4219 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Barnwell (12 mi); Denmark (18 mi); Aiken (20 mi); Bamberg (24 mi); Burnettown (27 mi). Any of them may have more branches, but statewide rules and your credit still set the price.
- Nearest smaller places: Elko (3 mi); Windsor (8 mi); Blackville (8 mi).
What South Carolina law requires in Williston
Every row below records a South Carolina rule, its publisher and its retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
What a Williston personal loan looks like
Because a personal loan payment is fixed, the total cost is knowable in advance — the main difference from a credit card, where the balance revolves. A lender who will not put the terms in writing is a reason to walk away. Read the full disclosure before signing; the written terms are the ones that count.
A pre-application checklist for Williston
A sensible order of operations for a loan in Williston:
- 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.
- Check that the monthly payment fits your budget next to your existing obligations.
Common questions
What are my options in Williston if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Williston?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Williston?
Does comparing loans in Williston cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Elko, SC — population 141
- Windsor, SC — population 120
- Blackville, SC — population 1,907
- Snelling, SC — population 250
- Barnwell, SC — population 4,577
- Springfield, SC — population 435
- Salley, SC — population 349
- Hilda, SC — population 422