Dayton at a glance
- Population: 9,693 residents, the 251st-largest of 1,224 places in Texas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 8,773 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 10.5% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 251st-largest of 1,224 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 79% of the Census places in Texas (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 30.0132, -94.9360.
- Nearest larger cities: Baytown, TX (17 mi); Humble, TX (20 mi); La Porte, TX (25 mi); Deer Park, TX (25 mi); Galena Park, TX (26 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Smaller places nearby: Kenefick, TX (8 mi); Liberty, TX (9 mi); Dayton Lakes, TX (12 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Dayton
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Dayton
The table carries the Texas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Dayton.
| 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 Dayton
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Dayton:
- 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.