Alton at a glance
- Population: 21,130 people, the 145th-largest place among Texas's 1,224 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 18,240 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 15.8% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 145th in population of 1,224 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 88% of places in Texas rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 26.2888, -98.3106.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Mission, TX (6 mi); McAllen, TX (6 mi); Edinburg, TX (10 mi); Pharr, TX (11 mi); San Juan, TX (12 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller places: Palmhurst, TX (2 mi); Palmview, TX (6 mi); Penitas, TX (8 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Alton
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Alton
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Alton: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alton
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Alton:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.