Clayton at a glance
- Population: 2,063, the 233rd-largest community in Georgia out of 536 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,991 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 3.6% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 233rd of 536 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: roughly 57% of places in Georgia rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 34.8766, -83.4033.
- Nearest larger cities: Clarkesville, GA (20 mi); Toccoa, GA (21 mi); Franklin, NC (21 mi); Walhalla, SC (21 mi); Westminster, SC (23 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Tiger, GA (3 mi); Mountain City, GA (3 mi); Dillard, GA (7 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Clayton
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Clayton
Each row below is a Georgia rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Clayton
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Clayton:
- 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.