Buffalo at a glance
- Population: roughly 1,855 people; 625th of 1,224 places in Texas (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,766 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 5.0% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Texas places: the 625th-largest of 1,224 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 49% of the Census places in Texas (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 31.4589 / -96.0662, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Teague, TX (17 mi); Fairfield, TX (19 mi); Groesbeck, TX (28 mi); Mexia, TX (29 mi); Palestine, TX (32 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: Jewett, TX (8 mi); Centerville, TX (15 mi); Oakwood, TX (15 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Buffalo
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed 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.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Texas lending rules that apply in Buffalo
The Texas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Buffalo are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Buffalo
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Buffalo:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.