Canton at a glance
- Population: about 36,857 residents, ranking 28th of 536 Census places in Georgia (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 32,956 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 11.8% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 28th in population of 536 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 95% of places in Georgia rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 34.2472, -84.4907 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Woodstock, GA (10 mi); Milton, GA (12 mi); Roswell, GA (16 mi); Alpharetta, GA (17 mi); Marietta, GA (21 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Holly Springs, GA (6 mi); Waleska, GA (6 mi); Ball Ground, GA (10 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Canton
Personal loans are closed-end installment debt, so the monthly payment and the payoff date are known from the start.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Canton
Each row below is a Georgia rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Installment Loan Act rate cap | 10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted. | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited (payday lending illegal in Georgia) Source says: "Payday lending is illegal in Georgia." | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment lender license required for loans of $3,000 or less Source says: "any entity making loans of $3,000.00 or less to individuals must be licensed with the Department as an installment lender". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Canton
A few practical steps will make the process in Canton less costly:
- 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 Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.