Branchville at a glance
- Population: 971 people, the 154th-largest place among South Carolina's 271 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 989 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 1.8% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among South Carolina places: 154th largest of 271 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 43% of South Carolina's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.2517 latitude, -80.8161 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Bamberg, SC (13 mi); St. George, SC (14 mi); Orangeburg, SC (17 mi); Denmark, SC (19 mi); Holly Hill, SC (24 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller places: Rowesville, SC (8 mi); Bowman, SC (10 mi); Reevesville, SC (11 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Branchville
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
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.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in Branchville
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Branchville
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Branchville:
- 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.