Belton at a glance
- Population: about 4,511, 70th by size in South Carolina of 271 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 4,336 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.0% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among South Carolina places: 70th out of 271 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 74% of South Carolina's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 34.5238, -82.4927.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Anderson, SC (9 mi); Simpsonville, SC (20 mi); Fountain Inn, SC (20 mi); Mauldin, SC (21 mi); Easley, SC (21 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller places: Williamston, SC (7 mi); Honea Path, SC (8 mi); West Pelzer, SC (8 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Belton
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
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.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in Belton
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 | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division (Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance) Source says: "South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance" (site heading). | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Supervised loan threshold (state-specific rule) | Consumer loans with a finance charge above 12%/year are "supervised loans" requiring licensed supervised lenders; supervised lenders may charge up to 18% per year on unpaid balances. Source says: "Supervised loan means a consumer loan in which the rate of the loan finance charge exceeds twelve percent per year" (37-3-301); "eighteen percent per year on the unpaid balances of principal" (37-3-201(2)(c)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8.75% per annum statutory legal rate where no rate is agreed (judgment rate: Wall Street Journal prime + 4 points). Source says: "the legal interest shall be at the rate of eight and three-fourths percent per annum" (S.C. Code 34-31-20(A)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment providers; max $550 advanced at one time; fee limited to 15% of principal; term up to 31 days; 2025 repeal bill S.379 introduced but not enacted. Source says: "The total amount advanced by a licensee to any customer at one time for deferred presentment or deposit may not exceed five hundred fifty dollars" (34-39-180(B)); fees capped at "fifteen percent of the principal amount of the transaction" (34-39-180(E)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Division licenses and regulates companies making consumer loans with APRs exceeding 12% (Title 37 Consumer Protection Code; Consumer Finance Act, Title 34, ch. 29). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Division (CFD) licenses and regulates the business activities of all companies... that make consumer loans which have annual percentage rates exceeding 12%." | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Belton
Before you commit to a personal loan in Belton, work through these steps:
- 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 South Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.