Carthage at a glance
- Population: 6,601 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 318th-largest of 1,224 places in Texas.
- 2020 Census base: 6,561 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 0.6% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 318th by size among 1,224 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 74% of places in Texas are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 32.1520 / -94.3371, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Marshall, TX (27 mi); Henderson, TX (27 mi); Kilgore, TX (35 mi); Longview, TX (35 mi); Shreveport, LA (39 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: Gary City, TX (9 mi); Beckville, TX (9 mi); Tenaha, TX (15 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Carthage
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
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 payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Texas lending rules that apply in Carthage
Each row below is a Texas rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Carthage
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Carthage:
- 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.