Bridgewater Town at a glance
- Population: 28,818 people, the 45th-largest place among Massachusetts's 54 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 28,624 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 0.7% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Massachusetts places: 45th of 54 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 17% of places in Massachusetts are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.9724 / -70.9788, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Taunton, MA (8 mi); Brockton, MA (8 mi); Randolph Town, MA (15 mi); Braintree Town, MA (16 mi); Weymouth Town, MA (16 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller towns: Central Falls, RI (22 mi); Winthrop Town, MA (28 mi); Newport, RI (38 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Bridgewater Town
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Massachusetts lending rules that apply in Bridgewater Town
Each row below is a Massachusetts rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small-loan license required for loans of $6,000 or less when interest and expenses exceed 12% per year (M.G.L. c. 140, § 96) Source says: "No person shall directly or indirectly engage in the business of making loans of six thousand dollars or less ... without first obtaining ... a license" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Division of Banks (Office of the Commissioner of Banks) Source says: "The Division of Banks (DOB) cautions you when applying for a payday loan" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan rate order | Maximum 23% per annum plus a $20 administrative fee (209 CMR 26.00/26.01) Source says: "Regulation 209 CMR 26.00 et seq. limits the annual interest rate that can be charged on small loans to 23%" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 20% per annum criminal-usury threshold (M.G.L. c. 271, § 49); statutory exceptions apply Source says: "interest and expenses the aggregate of which exceeds an amount greater than twenty per centum per annum upon the sum loaned" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Restricted: DOB states payday lending is not prohibited, but a 'payday loan' is illegal due to the high APR Source says: "Payday lending is not prohibited in Massachusetts. Yet what is referred to as a 'payday loan' is illegal" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bridgewater Town
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Bridgewater Town:
- 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 Massachusetts using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.