Bridgewater at a glance
- Population: about 6,765, 53rd by size in Virginia of 227 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 6,596 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 2.6% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Virginia places: 53rd out of 227 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 77% of Virginia's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 38.3885, -78.9645 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Harrisonburg, VA (6 mi); Staunton, VA (17 mi); Waynesboro, VA (22 mi); Charlottesville, VA (36 mi); Lexington, VA (49 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Smaller places nearby: Mount Crawford, VA (2 mi); Dayton, VA (2 mi); Grottoes, VA (11 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Bridgewater
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our 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.
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.
Virginia lending rules that apply in Bridgewater
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Virginia, and therefore in Bridgewater.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per year maximum contract rate, except as otherwise permitted by law (Va. Code § 6.2-303) Source says: no contract shall be made for the payment of interest on a loan at a rate that exceeds 12 percent per year | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at a 36% simple annual rate plus limited fees (Va. Code § 6.2-1817) Source says: Interest at a simple annual rate not to exceed 36 percent | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance license required from the State Corporation Commission (Va. Code § 6.2-1501) Source says: No person shall engage in the business of making loans to individuals for personal, family, household, or other nonbusiness purposes | Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) Source says: The Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) is a regulatory division of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC.) | Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bridgewater
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Bridgewater:
- 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 Virginia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.