Arcanum at a glance
- Population: about 2,328 residents, ranking 374th of 924 Census places in Ohio (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 2,351 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.0% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 374th out of 924 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 60% of Ohio's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 39.9924 latitude, -84.5544 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Greenville, OH (9 mi); West Milton, OH (12 mi); Brookville, OH (13 mi); Covington, OH (14 mi); Clayton, OH (15 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Pitsburg, OH (4 mi); Ithaca, OH (4 mi); Gordon, OH (5 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Arcanum
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
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.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Arcanum
Each row below is a Ohio rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Arcanum
Before you share your details with a lender in Arcanum:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.