Branch at a glance
- Population: 305 people, the 322nd-largest place among Arkansas's 500 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 300 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.7% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: 322nd of the state's 500 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 36% of places in Arkansas are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 35.3083, -93.9554 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Charleston, AR (5 mi); Booneville, AR (12 mi); Paris, AR (13 mi); Lavaca, AR (13 mi); Magazine, AR (14 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places nearby: Ratcliff, AR (4 mi); Caulksville, AR (5 mi); Denning, AR (14 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Branch
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Branch
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Branch: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Branch
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Branch:
- 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 Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.