Cactus at a glance
- Population: about 3,090 residents, ranking 482nd of 1,224 Census places in Texas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 3,050 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 1.3% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 482nd-largest of 1,224 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 61% of Texas's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 36.0444, -102.0080 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Dumas, TX (13 mi); Dalhart, TX (28 mi); Borger, TX (43 mi); Guymon, OK (54 mi); Amarillo, TX (59 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Sunray, TX (10 mi); Stratford, TX (21 mi); Channing, TX (31 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Cactus
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
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.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Texas lending rules that apply in Cactus
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Texas, and therefore in Cactus.
| 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 Cactus
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Cactus:
- 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.