Bluffton at a glance
- Population: 3,903 — 285th in Ohio, which has 924 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 3,966 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.6% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 285th of the state's 924 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 69% of Ohio's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 40.8920, -83.8878 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Ada, OH (9 mi); Ottawa, OH (12 mi); Lima, OH (16 mi); Findlay, OH (17 mi); Kenton, OH (22 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Mount Cory, OH (4 mi); Pandora, OH (5 mi); Beaverdam, OH (6 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Bluffton
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
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.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Bluffton
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Bluffton
Run through this list before signing anything in Bluffton:
- 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.