Carthage at a glance
- Population: 3,264 people, the 220th-largest place among New York's 595 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 3,340 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 2.3% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New York places: 220th of 595 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 63% of New York's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 43.9829, -75.6030.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Lowville, NY (15 mi); Watertown, NY (15 mi); Gouverneur, NY (25 mi); Canton, NY (48 mi); Ogdensburg, NY (51 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: West Carthage, NY (1 mi); Deferiet, NY (5 mi); Copenhagen, NY (7 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Carthage
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
New York lending rules that apply in Carthage
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Source says: "Notify the Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736 if you believe payday loans are being made in New York" | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury in the second degree (Penal Law 190.40) | Interest rate exceeding 25% per annum; class E felony Source says: "at a rate exceeding twenty-five per centum per annum or the equivalent rate for a longer or shorter period" | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 16% per annum maximum civil rate (Banking Law 14-a; General Obligations Law 5-501) Source says: "The maximum rate of interest provided for in section 5-501 of the general obligations law shall be sixteen per centum per annum." | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Illegal in New York State, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet Source says: "Payday loans are illegal in New York State." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed Lender license required (Banking Law Article 9, sections 340-361); administered via NMLS Source says: "The Department of Financial Services uses the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) to manage the Licensed Lender License." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Carthage
A few practical steps will make the process in Carthage 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 New York using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.