Bell at a glance
- Population: roughly 558 people; 363rd of 411 places in Florida (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 507 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 10.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 363rd by size among 411 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 12% of places in Florida are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 29.7568 / -82.8620, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Trenton, FL (11 mi); Fanning Springs, FL (12 mi); Fort White, FL (15 mi); Branford, FL (15 mi); High Springs, FL (17 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: La Crosse, FL (28 mi); Worthington Springs, FL (30 mi); Otter Creek, FL (30 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Bell
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
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-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Florida lending rules that apply in Bell
The table carries the Florida rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Bell.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Bell
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Bell:
- 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.