Alachua at a glance
- Population: roughly 10,770 people; 167th of 411 places in Florida (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 10,586 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 1.7% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 167th-largest of 411 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 59% of places in Florida rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 29.7652, -82.4751 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Gainesville, FL (10 mi); Lake City, FL (31 mi); Ocala, FL (45 mi); Jacksonville, FL (63 mi); Lady Lake, FL (67 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Smaller towns nearby: High Springs, FL (7 mi); La Crosse, FL (7 mi); Newberry, FL (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Alachua
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Florida lending rules that apply in Alachua
The table carries the Florida rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Alachua.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alachua
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Alachua:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.