Alpha at a glance
- Population: about 2,348, 251st by size in New Jersey of 323 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 2,330 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 0.8% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New Jersey places: 251st in population of 323 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 22% of the Census places in New Jersey (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.6594 / -75.1571, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Phillipsburg, NJ (3 mi); Easton, PA (4 mi); Wilson, PA (5 mi); Freemansburg, PA (10 mi); Nazareth, PA (10 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Bloomsbury, NJ (4 mi); West Easton, PA (4 mi); Glendon, PA (4 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Alpha
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
New Jersey lending rules that apply in Alpha
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI); Office of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders Source says: "The Office of Consumer Finance regulates 16 types of businesses that provide a variety of consumer financial services." | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury limits | 30% for non-corporate borrowers; 50% for corporations Source says: "the criminal usury limitation is 50 percent for corporations and 30 percent for non-corporate borrowers" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Civil usury: rates above 6% (agreement not in writing) or above 16% (written contract specifying the rate) Source says: "the civil usury rate is any interest rate greater than 6 percent for an agreement that is not in writing" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Unlicensed payday lending violates New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates; payday lenders must be licensed Source says: "out-of-state or foreign entities that have not obtained the required New Jersey license and whose payment terms violate New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer lender license required for loans of $50,000 or less for personal, family, or household purposes (N.J.S.A. 17:11C-1 et seq.) Source says: "A consumer lender license is required for the making of a loan that is to be used primarily for personal, family or household purposes" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alpha
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Alpha:
- 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 New Jersey using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.