Dawson at a glance
- Population: about 817, 862nd by size in Texas of 1,224 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 816 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 0.1% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Texas places: 862nd-largest of 1,224 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: about 30% of places in Texas are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 31.8946, -96.7147 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Hubbard, TX (6 mi); Blooming Grove, TX (14 mi); Wortham, TX (17 mi); Corsicana, TX (19 mi); Mexia, TX (20 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller towns: Coolidge, TX (11 mi); Malone, TX (11 mi); Penelope, TX (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Dawson
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
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.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Dawson
The Texas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Dawson are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| 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 Dawson
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Dawson:
- 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.