Elizabeth City at a glance
- Population: 18,948, the 55th-largest community in North Carolina out of 549 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 18,644 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.6% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 55th of 549 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 90% of North Carolina places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 36.2942 / -76.2382, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Chesapeake, VA (27 mi); Virginia Beach, VA (35 mi); Suffolk, VA (36 mi); Portsmouth, VA (40 mi); Norfolk, VA (43 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller places: Winfall, NC (13 mi); Hertford, NC (15 mi); Columbia, NC (26 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Elizabeth City
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Elizabeth City
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Elizabeth City
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Elizabeth City:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.